I baked Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Shells according to what I thought were the directions.
Temperature set at 425 degrees. I brushed the top with egg wash — and only the top.
When they baked, there were a beautiful brown, but only 1 rose like the picture on the box.
The others were beautiful golden brown, but either flat or lop-sided. They were cooked all the way through — just not puffed up into a shell.
I put the pastry in the oven after I had thawed them in the refrigerator overnight.
What is my problem. Why did only one of the shells rise??
Please Please help…..
Best Answer
The Pepperidge Farm site offers some tips for baking related to the rise:
Always preheat your oven for a minimum of 15-20 minutes before baking, because Puff Pastry depends on even heat to rise and puff. Place pastries 1 inch apart.
If you want a flaky thin and crispy pastry that's not very puffy, prick the unbaked Puff Pastry all over with a fork, which lets steam escape while baking.
To create a tart with an extra puffy crust: take a knife and score two lines around the edge, then prick the area inside this border with a fork.
I would begin by verifying that these tips were observed. Also, I would verify that your oven bakes consistently (i.e. no hot/cold spots). Preheating can be very helpful in resolving this. Also, you can put in a pizza stone or other heat regulating product, and monitor the temperature with a probe thermometer in water in different areas of the oven.