How to Make Vegan Puff Pastry: Recipe & Tips

The rumors are true: making vegan puff pastry, that is, without any butter at all, is really possible. We’ll share our vegan pastry recipe, so you can make this fluffy, delicate dough at home.

Like everything else, vegan puff pastry is best when it’s homemade. This particular kind of dough is usually made with a considerable amount of butter, but with our vegan pastry recipe, you can enjoy pies, tarts, galettes, and more without using any animal products at all. 

Vegan Puff Pastry Recipe Without Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 150ml cold water
• 8oz vegan margarine

Preparation of Vegan Puff Pastry:

1. Knead together the flour, 2 tablespoons of margarine, salt, sugar, and cold water into a smooth dough. Take your time; this will take several minutes. 
2. Allow the dough to rest for at least thirty minutes in the refrigerator.
3. Sprinkle your working surface with flour and roll out your vegan margarine into a flat square; about 15x15cm. This works best when the margarine is at room temperature. After it has been rolled out, place your margarine square in the refrigerator. 
4. Roll the dough out into a slightly larger square; about 20x20cm. 
5. Place the cold margarine square onto your dough square; stagger it so that the corners of the margarine square are in the middle of the sides of the dough square. Fold the corners of the dough inwards so that the margarine is completely enclosed. Press the edges together firmly.
6. Being careful to roll the dough in only one direction, roll out to a large rectangle about 1 centimeter thick. Brush off any excess flour off the top. Fold in the top third, then the bottom third, creating three layers.
7. Roll the dough in the direction of the open sides to form a long rectangle. Fold the top and bottom sides in towards the center. Then fold the halves over each other, creating four layers. Place the dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least two hours. 
8. Repeat the folding technique from steps 6 and 7 so that you get three layers again, then four layers. The layers will give your vegan puff pastry its characteristic fluffy texture. Make sure to always roll in the direction of the open sides. Chill the dough again for at least one hour. You can now use the finished vegan puff pastry as you wish.

Tip: If you’re planning on cooking for a large group, or you want to freeze a portion of the dough for later, this vegan pastry recipe can easily be doubled. 

Tips and Tricks for Preparation

• Choose the right margarine: For this vegan pastry recipe, it’s important that your vegan margarine is firm and has been chilled in the refrigerator so that it has a consistency that is similar to butter. It’s best to use margarine that is made with a mixture of different fats. 
• Freezing: If you want to freeze your vegan puff pastry, roll it out to the desired thickness and wrap it in a piece of baking paper. This way, you can use it directly after thawing.
• Baking: Preheating the oven isn’t always necessary for every recipe, but in this case, it is vital. To get your pastries crispy and flaky on the outside, allow the oven to preheat to 350°F. You’ll know they’re finished when they turn golden brown on the top. Tip: For an extra shiny surface, try brushing the puff pastry with plant-based milk before baking. 
• Filling: Puff pastry has countless applications and can be found in many different cuisines around the world. After you master this vegan pastry recipe, you can use the dough to make both sweet and savory dishes. For example, sweet pastries with fruit compote or vegan vanilla pudding are popular. If you prefer savory, mini pizzas with vegan parmesan cheese are the perfect party snack. In general, vegan puff pastry is best when it is fresh out of the oven. 

This article has been translated from German to English by Christie Sacco. You can read the original here: Blätterteig: Veganes Grundrezept und Tipps

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Tags: Baking Recipes Vegan