Pastry know-how

Our new columnist, baking expert Benjamina Ebuehi, answers your questions

QSHOULD I MAKE MY OWN PUFF PASTRY?

Homemade pu pastry is delicious and incredibly satisfying to make. Seeing all the flaky, buttery layers develop is rewarding, but it does take time and e ort. Realistically, it’s not something you need to make from scratch all the time.

However, the more you practice, the easier it becomes. Soon, all the rolling, folding and turning becomes second nature and you’ll be rewarded with a far superior flavour to shop-bought versions. I tend to make two batches and freeze one. Just defrost in the fridge overnight before using.

Rough pu pastry is a great middle ground, and the version that I make most often. The main di erence between this and full pu pastry is the way the butter is incorporated: instead of folding in a single block of butter, lots of chunks are coated in flour, with fewer turns. This makes the whole process much quicker, but you still get lots of flaky layers. I often use this method when making things like sausage rolls and turnovers.

There will, however, always be a place for shop-bought pu pastry. It’s incredibly convenient and the best-tasting ones are those that are labelled ‘all butter’. These are perfect for speedy weeknight dinners or quick desserts when you just haven’t got the time.

Benjamina is a London-based baker, food stylist and recipe writer. Her book, A Good Day to Bake (£22, Quadrille), is out now. carrotandcrumb.com

@bakedbybenji