Difference Between Puff and Shortcrust Pastry

Puff vs Shortcrust Pastry
 

Puff and Shortcrust are the names of two different types of pastries that are baked products. Pastries are basically mixtures of butter and flour that is made rich using shortening. The dough made in this fashion is kept in the fridge and used to make pastries by baking whenever there is a need. People remain confused between Puff pastries and Shortcrust pastries because of their similarities. This article attempts to find out the differences between Shortcrust and Puff pastries.

Puff Pastry

Puff pastry is so called because of the fact that it puffs up or rises during baking. It is light and tender after baking. It is made up of four ingredients that are butter, salt, flour, and water. It has many different layers that allow the dough to puff up during baking.

Shortcrust Pastry

This is a type of pastry that is easiest to make and thus very popular around the world. This dough is used for making tarts and quiches. It is made using four ingredients namely flour, butter, salt, and water. The paste thus made is rolled out and shortening is applied using fingers.

What is the difference between Puff and Shortcrust?

• Puff pastry is light and tender and also puffy whereas short crust pastry is not puffy.

• The puff in puff pastry is a result of different layers rising up during baking.

• Shortcrust is denser and heavier than puff pastry.

• Shortcrust is easiest to make and is very popular.

• Puff pastry requires application of butter over different layers that allow for puffing of the layers.

• Puff pastry has very high butter content than Shortcrust pastry.

• Puff pastry requires craftsmanship for making layers and applying of butter on every layer.