Pithiviers

[gfron1]

By answering that question I'll have to add a post to the "You know you're an eGulleter when..." topic because I haven't had any yet I cut it because I wanted to get the pic up, but we have guests coming over to try it tonight - so I re-assembled the pith.

[Carrot Top]

I think it looks good enough so that your guests tonight *should* offer to be your slaves after tasting it.

[chefpeon]

Next time you make one Rob, bake it longer. As someone said before, with puff, bake it a long time, then bake it some more. In your close-up of the cut up piece, you can see the doughy part where the layers haven't baked up all the way. Especially in the case where puff has fillings, and the fillings weigh the dough down, not baking it long enough is a common problem.

[gfron1]

Thanks for that tip - I'm gonna go eat it now!

[kaneel]

I have made jacques torres' recipe an liked it a lot. I haven't tried any other recipe for pithivier or puff pastry for that matter so i don't have anything to compare it too.

[Carrot Top]

I used to use the Lenotre recipe and the only difference I can see is that he puts a bit of rum in the almond pastry cream. Eh. Nothing wrong with an added bit of rum, at all.

There are two recipes for Pithiviers in Lenotre - the usual one is flat with a topping of only confectioner's sugar. The other is the Dutch Pithiviers that has the dome shape, more refrigeration time before baking, and which has the added topping of sugar, almond powder and egg white.

[gfron1]

I wanted to re-visit the puff pastry baking issue. There are a variety of links in eGullet but I didn't see any that specifically addressed the baking process. I'm at altitude which is always a consideration. I preheated the oven at least 1 hour. I keep a baking stone on the bottom shelf of the oven at all times. I baked on the middle shelf. In the end, I baked a full 30 minutes longer than the recipe called for and it still wasn't completely done.

Are there specific recommendations for the home baker on baking puff pastry?

Rack height?

Testing methods?

[Carrot Top]

My best guess (based on the problems you had, particularly the butter seepage) would be that the oven was not hot enough to start off with.

Do you have an accurate oven thermometer that you can put in the oven to test the temp? Home ovens often are not too great at calibration.

[chefpeon]

I always start my puff off at about 425 for the first 10-15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 for the rest of the bake. I would agree with Carrot Top that your oven wasn't quite hot enough....hee hee.....one would think with the thinner air your puff would puff better than at sea level!

[gfron1]

Thanks for this feedback...BTW, since my pithivier is gone, that means I ate a pound of butter in 2 days

[janeer]

I adore pithiviers. I make an almond pithiviers from a recipe I got in cooking school. I've also made the ham pithiviers in Julia Childand Company. I never see it in bakeries these days, unfortunately, and I don't have time to make it often--holidays, mostly.Little Compton Mornings

[miladyinsanity]

Thanks for this feedback...BTW, since my pithivier is gone, that means I ate a pound of butter in 2 days 

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Not bad, Rob!

PS I shall make one too and see whether I can out-eat you.

[Tepee]

I asked hubby if he wanted a pithiviers or tiramisu as our anniversary dessert and he chose pithiviers. Great, I hadn't made it before but has fallen in love with pictures of it for a long time. So, I dove into it....googled and, out popped this link. How timely. I cheated and used store-bought pastry. I didn't seal the edge well and some of the filling leaked out causing the pastry to look uneven. And, sigh....I didn't get straight edges. However, it was very delicious and rich. With cheaty pastry, it isn't difficult to make at all. Must work at getting the sides right. Tks for looking.

(Edited image link)

Edited July 23, 2007 by Tepee (log)

[Carrot Top]

Ah, Tepee. Even with all the imperfections you claim above it turned out gasp-producing. My thirteen year old son just walked by the computer and saw the photo and almost ran to my side, with a huge "Oh!".

I can taste it now, looking at your picture.

Fabulous.

[Tepee]

Thanks, Karen. I really must try it again...soon. I think it's worth putting on some lbs for. Mental note to self: Start with higher heat.

Psst...I've got a 13-yo daughter.

[Carrot Top]

Thanks, Karen. I really must try it again...soon. I think it's worth putting on some lbs for. Mental note to self: Start with higher heat.

Psst...I've got a 13-yo daughter.

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That's always a problem with puff pastry things - perfect temperature from start to end - isn't it.

Hmmm. If your daughter learns to make a Pithiviers, and my son does too, then the only thing they would have to argue about is whose would get served first.

[miladyinsanity]

I'm looking at the Torres recipe. Can someone give me a vague idea of how much puff pastry I need for that recipe? Preferably in weight, since I'm making my own puff--I decided this would be a good time to try Hermes's Inside-Out puff.

I'm seriously thinking of making mini ones, because it ups the puff to filling ratio.

[John DePaula]

I'm looking at the Torres recipe. Can someone give me a vague idea of how much puff pastry I need for that recipe? Preferably in weight, since I'm making my own puff--I decided this would be a good time to try Hermes's Inside-Out puff.

I'm seriously thinking of making mini ones, because it ups the puff to filling ratio.

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I think that 500g should be more than enough for an 8" tart, which is what I usually make. (Bo Friberg recommends 625g for a 10" tart.) Of course, any puff that you have left over can be used for a variety of smaller projects or frozen.

[miladyinsanity]

I'm looking at the Torres recipe. Can someone give me a vague idea of how much puff pastry I need for that recipe? Preferably in weight, since I'm making my own puff--I decided this would be a good time to try Hermes's Inside-Out puff.

I'm seriously thinking of making mini ones, because it ups the puff to filling ratio.

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I think that 500g should be more than enough for an 8" tart, which is what I usually make. (Bo Friberg recommends 625g for a 10" tart.) Of course, any puff that you have left over can be used for a variety of smaller projects or frozen.

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Great, thanks!

[Preserver]

MMMM i love the Jaques Torres recipe. I have made it a bunch of times and alway's had rave reviews on it. just make damn sure that the oven has consistent heat and also "DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN"..... hehehe, and the corn syrup makes the difference

[Carrot Top]

I just came across a recipe for Prune Pithiviers in Dorie Greenspan's "Sweet Times", filled with a prune Armagnac pecan blend. Interesting.

The ham one from Julia I've had and it is good but the concept of other fillings has never quite sunk in with me and Pithiviers. Hard to walk away from that indescribably delicious almond one.

But this one sounds good, too.

[maurdel]

"As smoke pours out of my oven from the butter seepage...what do people do to control this problem?  "

I have had this happen to me with puff pastry, though not every time.

I have come to believe it depends on the quality of the butter rather than technique.

Maybe there is more water in the butter or something.

What butters are you all using for successful pastry?

I prefer to use organic but I'm not sure if the ones I use are best for puff.

[gfron1]

I typically use Kerrygold or Lurpak. Sometimes I have an imported French butter. For the pith above I used Kerrygold.

[maurdel]

I typically use Kerrygold or Lurpak.  Sometimes I have an imported French butter.  For the pith above I used Kerrygold.

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Do you notice a difference in them? As I said I usually use an organic, so maybe Horizon or Org Valley and I think that they do have some noticeable water which releases. It does seem to vary though.

I have only tried an imported high fat butter once with puff pastry and I found that I had no smoky, slimy mess. So I will probably try that again next time. (which won't be for a very long time since it is high-summer in the South and I couldn't imagine trying to roll pastry much less bake it right now)

Someone once mentioned that using parchment under puff pastry causes more smoke and perhaps water release as it does not allow the bottom to get as hot as possible.

Has anyone else had trouble with parchment under puff pastry?

[Preserver]

I typically use Kerrygold or Lurpak.  Sometimes I have an imported French butter.  For the pith above I used Kerrygold.

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you said that you were doing altitude baking, have you tried baking the pithvier on the stone itself? maybe that will help with the temp problem and have the lift that you want. i noticed that the puff was alil on the blond side... do you know what happened? what temp did you start it with? some recipe's call for 350 but i generally start puff at 400 that helps alot with the lift and color. then i would brush corn syrup on the top and bake it 10miins more... hope this helps