Puff pastry there are two types - yeast-free and yeast-free.

In puff pastry dough, the rise of the dough occurs only due to the work of the oil: evaporating during baking, it pushes the dough layers apart, and then the melted fats are absorbed into the dough layers and prevent them from sticking together.

In puff yeast dough, the rise of the dough occurs both due to the action of the oil and the activity of the yeast, which loosen the layers of the dough and make it even more fluffy.
Yeast - key ingredient in yeast puff pastry, which ensures the occurrence of all enzymatic and physicochemical reactions that affect the formation of the structure and elasticity of the dough, as well as the porosity, taste and aroma of finished baked goods.

In general, the technology for producing puff pastry of both types is the same: a layer of margarine is placed on a layer of dough rolled out in the form of a square, after which the dough is pinched with an envelope and rolled out. The main task of margarine is to isolate the layers of dough from each other, to prevent them from sticking together when rolling and slicing.
Lamination occurs by sequential rolling and folding of the dough with a layer of margarine in 3-4 layers in the form of a book. Puff yeast-free dough contains, as a rule, 144 - 288 layers, in yeast dough there are fewer of them - from 24 to 160 layers.

The quality and appearance of puff yeast products depends on the rise of the dough during proofing and baking, and this, in turn, is associated with the gas-holding capacity of the dough. Good flour with strong gluten is the main ingredient and provides a good rise of the dough.

Flour

The baking properties of the puff pastry flour should be higher than the flour used for traditional dough methods. The quality of flour largely determines the properties of the dough obtained from it. The quantity and quality of gluten in flour is especially important. The quality of the gluten itself, along with its quantity, also significantly affects the physicochemical properties of the dough, therefore, for various types of flour confectionery products, it is recommended to use flour with gluten of various qualities.

For example, to make puff pastry, you need flour with the following characteristics:

1. protein powder 13%
2. gluten 30-32%,
3. P (elasticity of the dough) = 90,
4. W (energy to break)> 320,
5. Ie (elasticity index) = 55,
6. G = 20-24,
7. P / L = 1.

If necessary, you can add dry gluten (from 2 to 4% depending on the quality of the flour used)

Chopin alveogram test quality:

• - the elasticity indicator tends to 100%. The deliberate shift of the viscoelastic equilibrium towards greater elasticity of gluten can sometimes complicate the process of kneading and shaping the dough. At the same time, this contributes to better dimensional stability of the dough pieces during defrosting and fermentation, and this is very important;
• - the indicator of the rise of the dough should be from 20 to 22 units;
• - amylase activity should be weak. For hypodiastatic flour (with a deliberately small amount of enzymes) and in need of improvement, additional enzymes or improvers with minimal proteolytic activity are required;
• - the content of damaged starch should be as low as possible;
• - it is necessary to ensure that the content of fatty acids is not excessive, therefore the use of soy flour is not allowed.

Yeast

Usually fresh pressed yeast is used for puff pastry. Domestic yeast must be dosed approximately twice as much as in ordinary dough (up to 10%), since when cooled, their gas-forming ability is greatly reduced - the rate of release of carbon dioxide, which loosens the dough. There is special yeast of European production, thanks to special strains and growing technologies, it is much more resistant to cold. For traditional puffs, it is recommended to use the freshest compressed yeast, preferably osmotolerant or instant osmotolerant yeast. From the assortment of the company "Lesafr" the best suitable yeast "Saf-instant golden" (instant) and "Record blue" (compressed yeast).

Water
Water for mixing must be taken clean, meaning not very saturated with mineral salts or coagulants. Plain tap water can be used, unless it is excessively fluorinated or chlorinated. Water should be used at temperatures close to zero (1-2C). In the presence of ice makers, ice crumbs are used to obtain cold dough.
Its dosage should ensure that the dough is of a strong, dense consistency, thereby limiting the phenomenon of spreading and sticking of dough pieces during operation. In puff pastry, which will be subject to freezing, the dose of water is reduced by 20% compared to conventional dough.

Starter cultures

Natural leavens acidify the dough and thereby strengthen the gluten framework of the dough and increase its strength and elasticity. Lactic and acetic acids give a unique taste and aroma and also have bacteriostatic and fungicidal effects. The acidity of the leaven for puff pastry is the most important indicator: the pH should be in the range of 4.5-5, the titratable acidity is 8-9. In order to obtain this acidity, it is necessary to use a long-term dough management scheme, which includes numerous stages of preparation of the starter culture and long-term fermentation of the dough.

Improving Supplements
For the production of puff pastry, various improving additives are used, consisting of various oxidants, reducing agents, emulsifiers, enzymes and modifiers.

Additives affect the porosity, texture, volume and shelf life of the frozen dough, increase its stability and gas-holding capacity.

One of them oxidizing agent- vitamin C. Its use seems to be highly appropriate, due to its ability to strengthen the protein framework of the dough, and thus, providing its best strength and elasticity. It is necessary to avoid overdose of ascorbic acid. Otherwise, problems may arise when machining too dense dough.

Gluten should be added in limited quantities as it does not always contribute to a good dough.

Emulsifiers Are fat-like substances obtained by chemical synthesis. They stabilize a system of two components that do not mix under normal conditions. Emulsifiers form complexes with starch amylose, thus significantly inhibiting the retrogradation process and improving the machinability, extensibility and gas holding capacity of the dough. In home cooking, when self-preparing puff pastry, chicken eggs are usually used, in the yolks of which there is a lot of lecithin.
Enzymes(malt and its extracts, soy flour, enzymatic complexes, etc.) should be used very limitedly. To do this, it is necessary to make sure that they have no proteolytic activity, which can lead to the phenomenon of spreading of the dough pieces. The use of special alpha-amylases is shown, which cut starch (amylopectin) in strictly defined places, forming dextrins. Dextrins, in turn, impart softness when chewed.

Hydrocolloids Are products of the extraction of natural components (grain, algae, acacia ...). These are locust bean gum (E410), guar gum (E 412), carboxymethyl cellulose (E 466). They significantly increase hydration, reduce water migration and help get more volume (better softness).

Salt.
Of course, salt greatly affects the taste of the product, especially if the puff is not intended for a sweet filling. In addition, table salt improves the strength of the gluten. For this reason, its dosage is in the range of 1.5-2% for yeast puff pastry (1 gram of salt increases the osmotic pressure, like 6 grams of sucrose!) For non-yeast puffs, salt is added in amounts up to 4-5% of the flour weight.
Sahara.
The addition of sugar to the dough, in addition to improving the taste, creates a breeding ground for the yeast and helps to speed up the fermentation process. For yeast puffs, the sugar in the dough is dosed in the amount of about 15% or even more. It is necessary to take into account the high water-absorbing capacity of sugar, therefore it is necessary to introduce it during kneading without disturbing the development of gluten, moisturized and provide for a slightly higher dosage of water.

As you know, glucose (dextrose), glucose syrup, invert sugar, molasses, honey retain moisture better than sucrose. Therefore, when making puff pastry, it is recommended to replace part of the sugar with monosaccharides (invert sugar, glucose). Since glucose has less sweetness than sucrose, more must be added. From the point of view of influence on the fermentation process, at a higher dosage, the osmotic pressure will be higher. The dosage of sugar for traditional puff products is in the range of 15-20%.

Fats.
The addition of fat to the dough ensures gluten lubrication and a more even distribution of water in the dough, facilitates the relative sliding of the structural components of the dough and its gluten framework and starch grains included in it. This increases the ability of the gluten framework of the dough to stretch without rupture under the pressure of gas bubbles growing in the volume. The presence of fat also prevents dehydration of the semi-finished product, making the dough elastic and soft, however, for this, an effective emulsifier (yolk) must be added to the dough. The fat in the dough is largely bound by proteins, starch and other components of the hard phase of the dough. Part of the fat that is in the liquid state in the dough can be in the liquid phase of the dough in the form of tiny fat droplets. Fatty products with a melting point of 30-33 ° C do not bind to the components of the solid phase of the dough, but remain in it in the form of solid particles, which will begin to melt only during the baking process.

It must not be forgotten that fats will also affect plasticity and rolling resistance.
According to the old Soviet technologies, fats were not added to the puff pastry - it was believed that that part of the margarine that goes into the lamination would be enough. But with this technology, there was always not enough fat in the mass of dough. The plasticity of the dough was low and it was never possible to make dough with a large number of layers, as is done in Europe.

Egg products.
The egg yolk contains a very effective emulsifier - lecithin. In addition, eggs add a delicate flavor and color to the dough. The use of eggs, in addition to organoleptic characteristics, gives stability to the starch-protein-lipid system (that is, it affects the shelf life).

For home baking, fresh eggs are used, but in production the requirements for processing eggs are very strict, so in Soviet times they used only frozen egg mass - melange, which affected the quality.Currently, high-quality egg powder obtained using modern technology is widely used.

Dairy products.
Milk refines the dough, gives it a special taste, due to the presence of lactose, milk sugar and fat. The addition of liquid milk forces you to reconsider the dosage of the liquid for the dough, so milk powder is added to the dough. Most often, cheaper whey powder is used instead of milk powder. For the test, dry cheese whey does not differ at all from skimmed milk powder in terms of the required qualities, but it is cheaper in production.

Kneading puff pastry.
For puff pastry, intensive kneading is required to maximize the development of the gluten framework.
The basic mixing rules are:

• late addition of yeast during kneading;
• obtaining a cold dough to slow down the onset of fermentation;
• maximum development of gluten in the dough to ensure better gas and shape stability;
• preparation of a strong but plastic dough for subsequent rolling and to limit the phenomenon of spreading;
• delayed proofing of the dough in the cold.

When kneading yeast puff pastry, especially chilled water (in the form of ice crumbs), an acid solution, an egg solution and fat, sugar and salt are poured into a bowl, then chilled flour, an improver. At the very end, the yeast is loaded, previously diluted in a portion of cold water. It is very important that the yeast is evenly distributed in the mass of the dough and that the kneading is very good.

After kneading, the dough for proofing is not left in the bowl, but laid out on the table in the refrigerator. The main concern when preparing yeast puff pastry is to prevent the yeast cells from waking up prematurely and the yeast starting to work. At the same time, the dough must be kept to form the gluten framework, so all processes should take place at a temperature not higher than 12 degrees. Cold dough will allow you to obtain a product with good structure and high quality.
According to outdated technologies, it was really recommended to keep the dough warm, otherwise butter or ordinary margarine would not be soft and crumble in the dough, the layers would stick together. But in a warm dough, the yeast begins to work and there can be no question of correct subsequent dough management and lamination.

Lamination of dough and forming of blanks.

Fats for foliation

The quality of the fat and its correct shaping before starting the rolling process of the dough is of paramount importance. The butter or margarine that you put on the dough layer should be in the shape of a square with the same layer height throughout the area. Otherwise, during the rolling process, the butter will be unevenly distributed, and as a result, some of the finished products will simply flow out during baking, while the other will not delaminate well. In both the first and second cases, the quality of the products and their appearance will be far from desired. The easiest solution is to buy preformed butter in pre-formulated form.

The old 30-year-old Soviet technology provided for the use of ordinary margarine or butter in puff pastry. At that time, margarines with high melting points were not used and few people knew about calibrated layers of margarine. It was recommended to dust with flour when lamination, so that during the rolling process the layers do not move relative to each other.

It is important not to get carried away with dusting with flour - excess flour will dry out the dough.
For high-quality puff products, the quality of fat is of great importance, therefore, with modern technology, a special margarine with high plasticity is used; When purchasing margarine, you should be careful - margarines for yeast and yeast-free dough should differ in plasticity, emulsifiers and melting point. If you are offered a "universal" margarine for puff pastry, and even in blocks of 10 or 20 kg, then in most cases this is an ordinary table margarine, no matter how beautifully it is called. There will be no harm from it, but you will not achieve the professional quality of puff pastries. With a good specialized margarine, the layers acquire a brittle crispy and very tender structure. Layers of puff literally melt in your mouth.

The melting point of fat is of utmost technological importance:

If the temperature of the dough is too high, it becomes very soft, and the layers of dough stick together already when rolling. At low temperatures, the fat loses its plasticity, at the time of rolling, the fat layer inside the dough breaks, at the same time tearing the layers of the dough. Later, when baking, instead of rising the dough, steam escapes in the places of breaks, the product is deformed, and loses its presentation.

The melting point of margarine for puff yeast dough is 36 ° C, for non-yeast dough - about 43 ° C. This allows the dough to be rolled out at room temperature, but the temperature of the dough must never reach the melting point of the butter.
Professional margarines are composed of special types of emulsifiers, which ensure its increased plasticity and rolling out in puff pastry to a thickness of tenths of a millimeter without the risk of rupture. Margarines for lamination are produced in calibrated layers with a thickness of 20 or 18 mm, each layer weighs 2 kg and is packed separately in a foil casing.
In case you are forced to use regular margarine or butter for puff pastry, you need to buy a press, resourcefulness, which allows you to make such a molding.

The consistency of fat and dough during lamination should be exactly the same.

Between several rolls or after each, a short-term matting of dough layers

at 20 ° C for yeast-free dough, and

at a temperature of 10 ° C for yeast.
Such short-term rests lasting 15-20 minutes serve not only for cooling, but also for relaxation of the dough and stress relief, which is subject to intense mechanical stress during rolling.

When the specified number of layers is reached, the finished puff pastry is rolled into a layer up to 5-7 mm thick and goes for cutting and shaping of blanks.

The sharpness of the cutting elements is very important. With blunt knives, the edges of the product are jammed, and they then merge.

The main conclusion- provide very cold dough.

To do this, use cold water, chilled raw materials and low temperatures of work surfaces and rooms.

Defrosting, proofing and baking products.

The principle of correct defrosting is to raise the temperature of the dough to a temperature equal to the cryoscopic temperature (at which water changes from a solid to a liquid phase) or slightly higher. The purpose of defrosting is to turn the ice crystals into water gradually so that it is absorbed by the colloids of the dough proteins.
For defrosting and proofing, the products are laid out on a baking sheet at once with sufficient distances between them - it is necessary to take into account the increase in size, subsequently you will not have to move.
The duration of defrosting depends on the recipe of the product, its shape, thickness, weight, defrosting method, temperature and speed of the air used as a heat carrier.

Voskhod machines and devices are distinguished by high quality of performance, reasonable price and introduction of new technologies. In addition to versatile devices, there are offers for businesses that specialize in premium baked goods. An example is equipment for the production of croissants.

Means of mechanization are developed taking into account different types of industries: from mini-bakeries to large factories. There are installations that are suitable for all sizes. For example, in a croissant machine, the output is regulated over a wide range.

Firm "Voskhod" offers a full cycle service: sale, configuration, personnel training, elimination of failures of installations during and after the expiration of the warranty period. Equipment for the production of puff pastry is in demand among Russian and foreign entrepreneurs. The manufacturer organizes the delivery of mechanisms by rail or road in the country and abroad.

Scope of use of equipment for puff pastry

Most of the universal mechanisms are designed for the manufacture of bakery products of a simple shape: in the form of a square, a pigtail, a book, a snail. There is equipment for the production of stuffed croissants and other products popular with the population.

The thematic section contains devices:

• calibrators;
• dispensers;
• rolling and seaming installations;
• furniture;
• nodes and mechanisms for winding and cutting the web into blanks.

To reduce operating costs and increase labor productivity, the design of puff pastry machines includes the following features:

1. combined control of the working stroke of the machine: with a pedal and using a push-button panel (safety factors are taken into account);
2. versatility: it is possible to use the croissant machine as an independently operating installation and to be included in the production line;
3. unifications: tool and attachments are compatible:
   • with different modifications of NPP "Voskhod" installations;
   • with devices from other manufacturers.

In addition to the main purpose, the puff pastry machine works with yeast-free and special masses, from which noodles, dumplings, and lavash are made. By tightening (or loosening) the conveyor belt, it is easy to sanitize surfaces.

Despite the large number of semi-finished products, many housewives prefer homemade cakes. One of the most popular pastries is puff pastry. Crispy, light, airy, it serves as a base for making pies and pastries, pizza, sweet and meat puffs. Kneading such a dough is not an easy task, which has its own subtleties, which will be discussed below.

The structure of this dough is made up of many layers of air that form when butter is added. Distinguish between yeast and yeast-free puff pastry. The first rises only due to the steam, the second is "helped" by the yeast included in the composition.

Instant puff pastry at home can be roughly divided into:

• classic;
• curd;
• creamy.

The first version of the recipe for making quick puff pastry involves adding water and flour in a 1: 1 ratio, as well as salt and oil. To prepare the second, you will need flour, butter and cottage cheese in equal proportions, as well as baking powder and salt. To make a creamy knead suitable for sweet baked goods, you need premium wheat flour, butter, homemade heavy cream, or sour cream.

• it contains B vitamins, which help to strengthen bones, nails and hair;
• a large amount of carbohydrates leads to rapid saturation and replenishment of the body with energy.

The harmful factors of puff pastry include the following effects on the human body:

1. Due to the high calorie content of the product, there is a chance to gain extra pounds.
2. The dough has a high glycemic index, so its use is not recommended for people suffering from diabetes and metabolic disorders.
3. Eating large quantities of puff pastry can lead to digestive problems, constipation, and flatulence.

Complying with the recipe for puff yeast-free dough is more difficult than any other. This will require not only skill, but also knowledge of certain nuances. For the dough to be flaky, butter must be present in its composition. You can add a little vinegar to the product, then it will be more elastic, but here it is important not to overdo it, so as not to spoil the taste.

If the composition includes strong alcoholic drinks in the form of vodka, cognac or rum, then the dough will turn out to be more magnificent, and the taste is rich and bright. It should be noted that all types of dough are prepared from sifted premium flour made from wheat.

To give a special structure, butter is used, but during fasting or to save money, it is replaced with margarine. You can also add granulated sugar to the puff pastry or not to taste, depending on the type of baking that is planned.

Please note that all ingredients must be refrigerated. This is the only way to guarantee the correct texture of the dough.

This quick-cooking puff pastry, the recipe of which is very simple, is suitable for a wide variety of pastries from pies with meat to cakes for "Napoleon".

Ingredients per serving:

• 0.4 kilograms of flour;
• 0.5 cups of cold water;
• one egg;
• 1 tablespoon 9% vinegar;
• 1 pack of margarine;
• a small pinch of salt.

Cooking method

Grind the pre-sifted flour with pre-chopped margarine or butter until crumbled with a knife. If it does not work out, then the problem is in the oil - it is not completely cold, and therefore melts. Mix egg, water and vinegar and pour into butter and flour. Next, with quick movements, knead the dough, then place it in the refrigerator for an hour and a half. After taking it out of the refrigerator, roll it out several times, folding it into 2-3 layers.

Baking according to this recipe turns out to be unusually fluffy and soft.

Ingredients:

• A pound of flour;
• 250 ml of milk;
• 7 g of powdered dry yeast or 20 g of fresh;
• a pack of fatty butter, spread or margarine;
• 80 g sugar;
• one pinch of salt and vanilla;
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Cooking method

The cooking technology has remained unchanged over the years. To begin with, the products should be prepared: soften and beat the butter, dissolve the yeast culture in slightly warm milk. Combine flour, sugar and vanilla previously passed through a sieve. Add 50 grams of butter to the milk with yeast and mix, adding flour in small portions. Knead all the ingredients to make the dough, let it rise and saturate with air, knead and put in the cold.

Roll the remaining butter between two sheets of glazed baking paper so that you get a rectangular layer, and put it in the refrigerator too. When the dough rises, it should be kneaded and rolled into a layer. Put a small rolled butter cake on top, cover it with the edges of the dough and walk again with a rolling pin to reduce the layer thickness. Fold the roll in three times and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll, fold and cool two more times. Remove adhered flour.

This soft, elastic dough is ideal not only for sweet, but also for vegetable, mushroom and berry fillings. For cooking, you will need 100 g of flour, butter and dry cottage cheese, one small egg or 3 tablespoons of cold water, a pinch of salt.

Cooking method

To prepare puff yeast-free dough, the recipe for which does not contain yeast, sifted flour is mixed with mashed cottage cheese. Cut the butter into large cubes and add to the curd and flour. Grind the resulting mixture to a crumb state using two knives or a food processor.

Beat in an egg (water), knead the dough very quickly. Under no circumstances should the butter be allowed to melt during kneading. The mass must be firm and firm. Next, you should make a ball out of the dough, wrap it in cling film or a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours. It can also be placed in the freezer for long-term storage.

Using various recipes of instant puff pastry without yeast, you can delight your family with delicious original pastries every day.

Attention, only TODAY!

A feature of the technology of laminated products is the operation of laminating.

Lamination of the dough - giving the dough a layered structure by applying butter, margarine or fatty products intended for lamination of the dough to the rolled dough, followed by its repeated rolling. The main purpose of lamination is to obtain thin layers of dough alternating with layers of fat. The fat creates a continuous waterproof film on the surface of the dough layers. The water vapor generated during baking is trapped in layers of fat. Under the pressure of water vapor, the layers of dough "move apart", increasing their volume and forming a layered structure of products.

In the manufacture of puff products, wheat bakery flour of the highest grade is used with a raw gluten content of at least 30%.

Puff pastries are made from yeast-free and yeast-free dough. The production process of puff bakery products includes several main stages: dough preparation, puffing, cutting, baking, cooling and packaging.

Yeast puff products are made from fermented dough. The dough is prepared by sponge, bezoparny or other methods adopted in baking for products from wheat flour. Modern technologies of puff products mainly provide for short-term fermentation (laying) of the dough at a temperature of about 20 ° C. The temperature of the dough after kneading should not be higher than 16-20 ° С, and when cutting the dough on an automated line - no more than 12-14 ° С. To do this, when kneading the dough, add cold water or ice instead of 20-50% water. If the kneaded dough has a temperature above 20 ° C, then it is cooled to a temperature of 10-12 ° C in a refrigerator.

After kneading, the dough is divided into pieces of equal weight (2-8 kg), molded into rectangular blocks and left to rest for 10-20 minutes at a temperature of 4-10 ° C. For uniform cooling of the dough, it is recommended to roll out the dough before laying it into a layer 5-7 cm thick.

For lamination of yeast dough, special margarines and butter are used in an amount of 30-70% to the mass of flour in the dough. Before lamination, butter is mixed with flour in a ratio of 10: 1, rectangular blocks are formed and cooled.

The fat used for lamination must be plastic. To do this, fat stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 4-6 ° C is rolled several times through the rolls of a rolling machine or manually with a rolling pin. Fat and dough should have a similar consistency when lamination. It is recommended to maintain a temperature of 18-20 ° C in the room where the lamination is performed.

In the first lamination, a piece of dough is rolled out by the machine into a rectangular layer about 8 mm thick. A layer of fat is laid on the dough and folded in a certain way threefold ("simple" lamination) or fourfold ("double" lamination). The dough layered with fat is rolled out and placed in a refrigerating chamber for laying at a temperature of 4-6 ° C for 10-15 minutes. Then the lamination cycle is repeated.

The dough is laid out after each rolling. The number of layers in yeast dough depends on the type of product and usually varies from 12 to 81. After the final lamination, the dough is rolled out into a layer 3-5 mm thick, rolled onto a rolling pin and served for cutting. When cutting from a layer of dough, blanks are cut out, given a given shape, and, if provided, a filling is introduced.

The final proofing is carried out at a temperature that prevents the fat from melting. When using butter for lamination, proofing is carried out at a temperature of 26-28 ° C for up to 120 minutes. Before baking, the surface of the workpieces can be greased with eggs, sprinkled with crumbs, etc. Puff products are baked at a temperature of 190-200 ° C with steam humidification of the baking chamber, products with egg lubrication and crumb finishing - without steam humidification. After baking and cooling, the products can be sprinkled with powdered sugar. Puff products are placed in trays in one row.

Before perestroika, in the recipes of the Soviet Union, puff was a dough that came up with yeast, sprinkled with cold shaved butter and rolled several times. To prevent the oil from heating up and flowing out in the process, the dough was put in a refrigerator for a while, then rolled out again. With a faster method of making puff pastry, margarine was mixed with flour, salt, vinegar and water - such a dough can be rolled out only 1-2 times. The recipe for puffs and rolls, which are now on sale from large state-owned factories, is closer to the latter, but melange is added to the dough, which in the simplest case replaces the emulsifier, and it can be rolled several times already.

Modern technology for the production of puff products is inextricably linked with the technology of fast freezing of semi-finished products. Initially, the emergence of freezing in Europe was associated with the production of a large assortment of small-piece muffins. It has been developed for use in large scale factories supplying semi-finished products to bakeries, supermarkets, mini-bakeries or for sale for home baked goods.

There are several different methods of delayed baking: delayed proofing in a chilled environment (up to several hours); controlled proofing in a chilled environment in order to achieve the specified parameters of the product; two-stage baking (with or without freezing) for final baking in the vicinity of the point of sale; quick (shock) freezing for the purpose of long-term (up to 6 months) storage of semi-finished products ready for immediate baking.

The first attempts to chill the canning dough were made in Europe in the thirties with the development of the concept of military supplies. Subsequently, they were interrupted for a long time due to the lack of suitable refrigeration equipment and yeast resistant to freezing.

This technology began to develop again at the end of the last century. Until recently, only products made from unleavened (yeast-free) dough could be used in frozen form, although as a result of the increased interest in baked goods at home, there has long been a need for frozen semi-finished products.

Thanks to new inventions in microbiology and the creation of new types of high-quality baker's yeast that are resistant to freezing, a new branch of the food industry has emerged and is successfully developing over the past decades - the baking of high-quality bakery and confectionery products from frozen semi-finished products, including puff pastry.

Selection and preparation of raw materials

The technology of manufacturing and quick freezing of semi-finished products from puff pastry makes special demands on raw materials and methods of work. Some basic requirements are as follows: less water when kneading the dough; specialized types of enhancers must be used; shorter kneading and molding times; increased energy consumption for cooling water for kneading, for quick freezing of dough, storage, transportation, defrosting, extended proofing; strict technological discipline is required at all stages of production.

The flour used for the production of frozen dough must contain at least 17% of glutenin protein or (as we are accustomed to believe) at least 32% of raw gluten, otherwise the gas-holding capacity of the dough will be insufficient. For this, it is recommended to fortify low-protein flour with dry gluten or gluten concentrate.

The baking properties of the puff pastry flour should be higher than the flour used for traditional dough methods. For example, to prepare puff pastry with further freezing, you need flour with the following characteristics (quality of the dough according to Chopin's alveogram):
- the elasticity indicator tends to 100%. The deliberate shift of the viscoelastic equilibrium towards greater elasticity of gluten can sometimes complicate the process of kneading and shaping the dough. At the same time, this contributes to better dimensional stability of the dough pieces during defrosting and fermentation, and this is very important;
- amylase activity should be weak. For hypodiastatic flour (with a deliberately small amount of enzymes) and in need of improvement, additional enzymes or improvers with minimal proteolytic activity are required;
- it is necessary to ensure that the content of fatty acids is not excessive, therefore the use of soy flour is not allowed.

The final quality and appearance of puff yeast products depends on the rise of the dough during proofing, and this, in turn, is associated with the gas-holding ability of the dough, which ensures its good rise. Good flour with good gluten does this.

Often, bakers believe that the gas holding capacity of the puff pastry is the reason the dough did not rise, while in many cases the true reason is that the gas generating capacity of the frozen yeast is insufficient or absent.

Previously, "puff pastry" was called precisely yeast-free puff pastry, since previously there was simply no yeast suitable for freezing.

Yeast is a key ingredient in yeast dough, which ensures the occurrence of all enzymatic and physicochemical reactions that affect the formation of the structure and elasticity of the dough, as well as the porosity, taste and aroma of finished baked goods.

Compressed yeast is usually used for frozen dough. Domestic yeast must be dosed approximately twice as much as in ordinary dough (up to 10%), since when frozen, their gas-forming ability is greatly reduced - the rate of release of carbon dioxide, which loosens the dough.

Yeast of foreign (mainly European) production, thanks to special strains and growing technologies, is much more resistant to freezing. But large state-owned enterprises continue to use local yeast, according to outdated technical specifications, believing that this makes products cheaper, but quality can suffer greatly from this.

Another common mistake, especially in small bakeries, is using dry yeast for puff pastry and then freezing it. Dry yeast, even of foreign production, is absolutely not intended for freezing dough. The peculiarities of their production predetermine their very low resistance to strong cooling.

When using traditional baker's yeast in frozen puff pastry, an increased dose of yeast is required to compensate for the significant loss of their activity and mass death of yeast cells. However, an overdose of yeast in the dough can also have an adverse effect - a large number of dead yeast cells give a special flavor. Gourmets easily notice such a taste in bakery puffs.

Puff pastry is available in two types - yeast-free and yeast-free. In puff yeast-free dough, the rise occurs only due to the work of margarine: by heating up during baking, it pushes the layers of dough apart. When the water contained in the margarine evaporates, very good stratification occurs, and then the melted fats of the margarine are absorbed into the layers of the dough and prevent them from sticking together.

With a good specialized margarine, the layers acquire a brittle crispy and very tender structure. Layers of puff literally melt in your mouth. In puff yeast dough, the rise occurs both due to the action of margarine and the activity of the yeast, which makes the layers of the dough even more fluffy.

In general, the technology for producing puff pastry of both types is the same: a layer of margarine is placed on a layer of dough rolled out in the form of a square, after which the dough is pinched with an envelope and rolled out. The main task of margarine is to isolate the layers of dough from each other, to prevent them from sticking together when rolling and slicing.

Lamination occurs by sequential rolling and folding of the dough with a layer of margarine in 3-4 layers in the form of a book. Puff yeast-free dough, when using ordinary margarine or butter, contains, as a rule, 144 - 288 layers, in yeast dough they are much less - 24 - 48.

When using professional specialized margarines for puff pastry, bakeries in France, Denmark, Germany, Poland produce yeast-free dough up to 400 layers, and yeast sweet dough (Danish puff) has at least 160 layers.

Water and dough additives

Water for mixing must be taken clean, meaning not very saturated with mineral salts or coagulants. Plain tap water can be used, unless it is excessively fluorinated or chlorinated. Water should be used at temperatures close to zero (1-2C). In the presence of ice makers, ice crumbs are used to obtain cold dough. Considering that specialized improvers must be used for puffs, we will not dwell on these additives separately, since they are contained in a specialized improver for puff pastry in the required dosages.

Of course, salt greatly affects the taste of the product, especially if the puff is not intended for a sweet filling. In addition, table salt improves the strength of the gluten. For this reason, the dosage is rarely below 2% in yeast puff pastry for sweet fillings. For yeast-free layers, salt is added in amounts up to 4-5% of the flour weight.

The addition of sugar to the dough, in addition to improving the taste, creates a breeding ground for the yeast and helps to speed up the fermentation process. For yeast puffs, the sugar in the dough is dosed in the amount of about 15% or even more. Consideration should be given to the high water absorption capacity of sugar, so a slightly higher dosage of water should be provided.

Fats

The egg contains a very effective emulsifier - lecithin. In addition, eggs give a good taste and color to the dough. Fresh eggs are used for homemade baking, but in large-scale production the requirements for egg processing are very strict, therefore, in Soviet times, only frozen egg mass was used - melange. Currently, high-quality egg powder obtained by modern technology is widely used.

Kneading puff pastry

For the production of puff pastry, intensive kneading of the dough is required, which contributes to the maximum development of the gluten framework: obtaining a cold dough to slow down the onset of fermentation; preparation of a dough of very strong consistency to limit the phenomenon of spreading during defrosting; exclusion of yeast fermentation until freezing.

When kneading yeast-free puff pastry, cold water, a solution of lactic or citric acid are poured into the bowl of the kneading machine, egg powder or melange, whey or milk powder, salt, then cooled flour and flour improver are added, after all, vegetable oil or liquid margarine is added and the dough is kneaded within 10-20 minutes (depending on the mixer) until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

The well-kneaded dough is left in a bowl for 20-30 minutes for the proteins to swell (preliminary maturing). For yeast-free dough, its temperature at any time during the kneading and maturing process should not exceed 18 degrees.

When kneading yeast puff pastry, especially chilled water (in the form of ice crumbs), an acid solution, an egg solution and fat, sugar and salt are poured into a bowl, then chilled flour, an improver. At the very end, the yeast is loaded, previously diluted in a portion of cold water. It is very important that the yeast is evenly distributed in the mass of the dough and that the kneading is very good.

After kneading, the dough for proofing is not left in the bowl, but laid out on the table in the refrigerator. The main concern when preparing yeast puff pastry is to prevent the yeast cells from waking up prematurely and the yeast starting to work. At the same time, the dough must be kept to form the gluten framework, so all processes should take place at a temperature not higher than 12 degrees.

Various recipes indicate dough temperatures of 20 degrees or more. When using butter according to outdated technologies, you really have to keep the dough warm, otherwise the butter or ordinary margarine will not be soft and crumble in the dough, the layers will stick together. In a warm dough, the yeast begins to work and there can be no question of any subsequent freezing of the semi-finished product.

Using specialized puff margarines eliminates these disadvantages. This stage is the main one. It immediately follows the shaping of the dough pieces. The final freezing temperature should be - 30-35 gr.C. Lower temperatures can lead to irreversible negative consequences.

Processing temperature in a fast-freezing chamber at - (50-65) ° С for 20 minutes (up to a temperature of 0 ° С in the thickness of the dough;
- the air exchange rate is not less than 4m / sec, which as a result leads to a freezing rate of approximately 1gr.C per minute.

Storage and transportation principles

The storage time can range from several days to several months. It directly depends on the quality of raw materials (flour, yeast, improvers) and on compliance with the norms of the production cycle (kneading, molding, freezing).

The frozen dough is usually stored at temperatures from -12 to -20 ° C.

This operation is the most vulnerable in the correct and effective technology. The cold storage chain must never be interrupted. Particular attention should be paid to the fragility of frozen semi-finished products, and, as a consequence, the risk of breaking.

Placement of the delivered semi-finished products at the baking site must be carried out in freezers (lari) with a temperature of at least -10 C. Re-freezing of defrosted semi-finished products is not permissible. If during transportation there was an accidental defrosting, then this batch can be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 degrees for only a couple of days.

Defrosting, proofing and baking products

1. Immediate defrosting in the proofer. This is a fairly common method in Russia, however, even at a moderate temperature (about 28 ° C), too fast heating reactivates the yeast on the surface of the dough piece, while in the core the lifting force remains small, where the temperature is still low. As a result, finished products may have an uneven crumb density, which is a waste.

2. Defrosting at room temperature followed by fermentation in a proofing cabinet. This method is a disadvantage of the first method, and the winding of the surface of the dough pieces is added to it, due to prolonged exposure to air.

3. Defrosting in a cabinet programmed to perform defrosting first (at a temperature of 0 ° C - the inevitable condensation effect is minimized), while the process of thawing and swelling of proteins and starch occurs. Then the stage of proofing takes place (with a gradual increase in temperature to 30-32 ° C), while it is necessary to ensure the maximum humidity in the proofing cabinet. This method is the most reliable and is widely used abroad.

There is a delayed baking method. After cutting, finished products are not frozen immediately, but before that they are sent for proofing. In the latter case, the preparation time for baking is significantly reduced: such products are thawed for 15-20 minutes at room temperature and baked immediately without additional proofing.

Usually rotary or rack conventional ovens are used. The surface of baking trays must be in perfect condition to prevent the phenomenon of sticking of products. It is best to cover with SILIDOR silicone paper.

Due to the excess of fermentable sugars, the baking temperature should be slightly lower than usual in order to limit the browning of the surface of the products too quickly. The baking time will therefore be slightly longer than usual.

Usually, the baking temperature is 180-200 ° C, and the baking time is 15-18 minutes (the surface of the products should be evenly colored until golden brown).