Three Ways to Use Puff Pastry Scraps
Puff pastry can turn even the simplest ingredients into a great dish or dessert. Unfortunately, there are always useless leftovers. This precious, all-creamy stuff isn’t cheap to buy, and certainly not easy to make. Instead of throwing away leftover laminated gold, use the excess for something else.
I always have an instinct to keep leftovers from larger components. Even if I definitely don’t have plans, I’ll toss all the leftovers in the freezer. After you’ve used your first pieces of store-bought or homemade puff pastry, always fold the scraps into a sheet of parchment paper. (The store-bought version usually comes already wrapped in unwaxed paper, so just reuse that paper for curling.) Fold a roll of scrap paper in half to save space in the freezer and because you don’t have to keep the scrap shape. Put them in an airtight bag or container and place them in the freezer until you decide to make one of these fantastic snacks.
Spicy croutons
I saved the best for the first one. This is my favorite way to use puff pastry scraps and one of the fastest. Lay the rest of the dough out on a cutting surface. If the trimmings are frozen, leave them on the counter for five minutes; they will thaw quickly but should still be cold to the touch. Cut the trimmings into pieces about half a centimeter in size. I use a pizza cutter and scroll through them at odd angles until I cut them all to the right size.
Toss the pieces into a medium bowl and drizzle about a teaspoon of oil on top. If you have an oil sprayer, about five sprays will be enough for you. You don’t want them to be oily, just a little moist so that the dry seasonings have something to stick to. Stir the puff pastry with a fork. Add any seasonings you like. I like to add salt, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and umami powder. Stir again until the pieces are evenly coated. Arrange the scraps on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in an even layer so that they do not overlap. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°C for 10-12 minutes. Add croutons to soups, salads, pastas, or eat them as a crunchy snack.
Sugar monkey bread with cinnamon
As with the croutons above, monkey bread is made by adding puff pastry to the dry mass, except this time we’re making it sweet (and shaping it differently). Prepare the dough in the same way, cut the pieces of thawed puff pastry into small pieces, about half an inch to an inch. Place the scraps in a bowl and mix in a little butter or melted butter, about a teaspoon or so. If you have two cups of scraps, sprinkle them with about two tablespoons of white or brown sugar, along with about two teaspoons of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir the pieces to coat well with the dry ingredients.
Depending on how much waste you’re working with, butter a loaf pan or bake individual monkey bread by buttering muffin holes. Fill the baking dish about halfway with the waste mixture. If you have sugar left in the bottom of the bowl, sprinkle it on top. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the baking dish you are using. Monkey bread is ready when it is toasted on top and has risen well. Take the bread out of the pan while it is still warm because the cold caramel can stick to the pan.
Cheese sticks
If you have a lot of long cuts, you can roll a few cheese sticks. I find this works best with dry aged cheeses because they don’t melt. Sprinkle half a cup of grated parmesan or other aged cheese on the work surface. Run a knife over the grated cheese to make minced meat. With pieces of defrosted dough about two to five inches long, place one in the cheese and with an open palm, press down and roll the dough in the cheese. The cheese will stick and soak into the dough. Do this with all of the puff pastry pieces. If you have very long pieces, fold them in half, roll them in cheese first, and twist them to make a beautiful pattern. Place the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 10-12 minutes.
Collect a large batch of puff pastry scraps in the freezer and turn any of these snacks into larger products. Monkey bread makes a particularly attractive center dish when cooked on a baking sheet.