Six Thousand Layers

I was recently asked to bring dessert to a gourmet dinner party.  I paged through a few cookbooks before deciding that Puff Pastry Apple Tarts would be perfect.  After all, crisp apples with a blush of red are the very essence of autumn's glory, and puff pastry is delicate enough to balance a hearty meal of several courses.

One of my dearest friends, upon seeing my handiwork, declared that the only reason I had made the pastry from scratch was that I am "an overachiever."   But the real reason is that the local grocer doesn't carry frozen puff pastry, and I had neither time nor inclination to drive the thirty miles to one who did.  However, I just smiled and nodded when she tossed out her allegation.  This particular friend doesn't lack for confidence in her own reasoning, and is not easily distracted from it.


Homemade puff pastry is no harder than making a loaf of bread.  You use your rolling pin and the power of exponents to create thousands of layers of butter and dough.  Then you pop them into a hot oven where melting butter and rising steam lock in a delicate crispiness.

So if you are also "an overachiever," I highly recommend this little endeavor the next time you need puff pastry dough.   I have posted the full recipe here.  Or, if you are still holding the line against holiday weight, just scroll down and enjoy vicariously.

There are basically three parts to making these tarts:

1.  Whip up a dough that's a lot like a pie crust.  Wrap it around a pound of butter, sort of like gift wrapping a birthday present.  Don't think about the pound of butter, just do it!  This recipe makes enough dough for lots of tarts, and you're going to eat just one.

2.  Roll it out.  Fold it in thirds.  Chill.  Roll it out.  Fold it in thirds.  Chill.   Roll it out.  Fold it in thirds.  Chill.

Once you have repeated this process six times, you've made 2187 layers of dough and butter.  One more roll and you have 6561 layers.  If you are a math head or a homeschooling mom,  figure out an algebraic equation to express the relationship between number of layers and how many times you repeat the folding/rolling process.  Mental exercise keeps your brain in shape, and you have to chill the dough between rolls anyway, so you've got time.

3.  Cut your dough into squares, put some crispy thin apple slices on top, dot with (a little more!) butter, bake and eat!

Now, if you're really an overachiever (and if you made this, you definitely are :) , go run a few miles to work off that butter.  You will feel great the whole way, smiling and rejoicing at how good life is.