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Patty Shells

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Patty Shells

Cuisine:French

Course:Other

0s prep 20m cook 20m ready

Small patty shells—deep shells of puff pastry baked and then filled with sweet or savory fillings—are called bouchées (mouthfuls). Very small hors d’oeuvre–sized patty shells are called petites bouchées, or “little mouthfuls.” Our favorite filling is Gruyère and Caramelized Onions. Other good savory fillings include Mushroom Ragout, Ratatouille Provençale, Melted Leeks, and Chicken or Turkey Salad. As for sweet fillings, we recommend Pastry Cream and fresh fruit, or Fruit Fool. Eighteen 2-inch shells

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • 2 ⅓ cups (290g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
    • 5 tablespoons (70g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
    • ¾ cup (175g) ice water
    • 3 ½ sticks (14 oz or 395g) unsalted butter
    • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Pulse to combine in a food processor: 2 ⅓ cups (290g) all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
    2. Scatter over the flour: 5 tablespoons (70g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
    3. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle over: ¾ cup (175g) ice water
    4. Pulse just until the dough begins to come together, 10 to 15 seconds. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a 5-inch square. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
    5. Meanwhile, cut into ½-inch slices and freeze for 2 minutes: 3 ½ sticks (14 oz or 395g) unsalted butter
    6. Place in the food processor: 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
    7. Distribute the butter slices over the flour and pulse just until the mixture looks like fine gravel. Scrape the mixture down from the processor sides and process just until smooth. Scrape onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape the butter into a 6-inch square. Wrap the butter block tightly and refrigerate while you roll out the dough.
    8. Place the dough square on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 13 × 8-inch rectangle. Brush off the excess flour. Remove the butter block from the refrigerator and unwrap it. As shown in the top three illustrations, above, center it on one half of the dough; fold the dough over the butter, completely covering it; press the dough together to seal on the three open sides. Turn the dough a quarter turn counterclockwise.
    9. Roll the dough package into a 17 × 7 ½-inch rectangle, keeping a short side facing you. Fold the bottom third of the dough up over the center of the dough. Fold the top third of the dough down over top of the first third, as though you were folding a business letter. This is called a single turn (shown on the bottom left). Rotate the dough a quarter turn counterclockwise and roll the dough once more into a 17 × 7 ½-inch rectangle. This time fold the bottom end up and the top end down to meet in the center (do not overlap), then fold the dough in half, to make 4 layers of dough, as shown on bottom center and right. This double fold is the second turn. Mark the dough with 2 finger imprints to remind yourself that you have given the dough 2 turns. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
    10. With the folded edge on the left, roll the dough out again to 17 × 7 ½ inches. Make another double fold, for the third turn. Mark with 3 finger imprints, wrap the dough, and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
    11. Roll the dough out and make another double fold for the fourth turn. Mark the dough with 4 imprints, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Or wrap and store as directed in About Puff Pastry.

Let's Prepare

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  • 1 Puff Pastry

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare: Puff Pastry

  2. Step 2.

    Divide the dough into thirds. Working with one piece at a time (keep the remainder refrigerated), roll the dough out to a 14 × 6 ½-inch rectangle. Using a 2-inch cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Arrange 6 rounds upside down on an ungreased or parchment paper– or silicone-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Using a 1-inch round cutter, cut out the centers of the remaining 6 rounds to make rings. (Save the centers for another use.) Turn the rings upside down and position them on top of the rounds on the baking sheet. Using the back of a table knife, press an indentation every ¼ inch around the outside edge of the rounds to flute them. With a fork, prick only the centers of the shells, not the rings. Cover and refrigerate while the oven preheats.

  3. Step 3.

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Using a sharp knife, score a circle on the bottom piece of dough following the inside edge of the ring.

  4. Step 4.

    Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. As soon as the patty shells come from the oven, cut out the inner rounds that have puffed out from the center of each shell and set aside (you will use these as lids). Transfer to a rack to let cool.

  5. Step 5.

    Six 4-inch shells

  6. Step 6.

    Proceed as directed for Small Patty Shells, rolling each third of the dough into a 13 × 9-inch rectangle. Cut out the rounds using a 4-inch cutter, and use a 2-inch cutter to make the rings. Assemble and bake as directed.

  7. Step 7.

    One 8-inch shell

  8. Step 8.

    Prepare as directed for Small Patty Shells, dividing the dough in half and rolling each half to a 10-inch square. Cut out 2 rounds using an 8-inch cutter, the removable bottom of an 8-inch tart pan, or an 8-inch cake pan, then cut out the center of one with a 6-inch cutter or pan. Assemble as directed. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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