I always crave a treat after dinner. But who has the time or energy to bake desserts from scratch? Fortunately, the solution to satisfying your sweet tooth is simple: Stock up on ready-made ingredients that eliminate multi-step preparation and allow you to turn out “homemade” baked goods quickly.
One “lazy” dessert must-have is puff pastry. This flaky dough makes the perfect base for confections like cinnamon rolls, danishes, and croissants. Plus, it’s sold in the freezer aisle — so you don’t have to use it immediately. Keep reading to learn why pre-made puff pastry is a half-homemade baking staple, and get three tasty recipes that bake in under 45 minutes.
Puff Pastry 101
Unless you’ve got extra time on your hands, using pre-made puff pastry is preferable to making it yourself. Creating puff pastry from scratch requires repeatedly folding hundreds of layers of butter or fat between dough. It’s a tedious but necessary process, as it’s what makes the pastry puff up as its baking, creating light and flaky desserts. But just because it’s necessary doesn’t mean you have to do it. The good news is that you can get the same result using the ready-made version.
Store-bought puff pastry typically…
