puff pastry bowl

Puff Pastry Bowl

A puff pastry bowl forms a crisp, edible container by shaping sheets of puff pastry over an inverted oven-safe bowl or mold. The pastry is trimmed, fitted around the form, and baked until the layered dough expands and turns deep golden. As the butter within the pastry heats, steam separates the layers and creates a light, flaky structure that holds its shape once cooled.

After baking, the mold is removed to reveal a hollow pastry shell that can be filled with a variety of savory or sweet preparations. The sturdy yet delicate layers make it suitable for holding foods such as pasta, stews, salads, or creamy fillings. The technique highlights the natural lift of laminated dough, where thin layers of butter and dough puff dramatically during baking to create crisp, airy pastry walls.

Fill with Chicken and Gravy for an unstructured chicken pot pie.

Print Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Bread
French
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • 2 baking sheets parchment-lined
  • 4 metal bowls
  • rolling pin

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, Pepperidge Farm
  • 1 egg, beaten

Instructions 

  • Remove one sheet of puff pastry from the freezer and allow it to thaw until is is soft enough to drape over the metal bowls.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Roll out the pastry until it is a 12-inch square.
  • Cut the pastry sheet into four 6-inch squares.
  • Spray the outside of the metal bowls with cooking spray and place them face-down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Drape one square of pastry dough over each bowl and shape the dough so it lies flat. Make sure not to press the pastry dough to firmly into the bowl surface.
  • Using a fork, pierce the flat top of the dough multiple times to prevent the bottom of the pastry bowl from puffing up too much. DON’T FORGET THIS STEP OR THE TOP WILL PUFF UP AND BURN!
  • Cut up any scrap puff pastry into strips, squares, and other shapes to use as decorations on top. Spread them out on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Place the baking sheet with the dough in the fridge to firm up, about 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Once the dough has firmed up, remove from the refrigerator and brush the top of each piece of pastry with an egg wash.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry puffs up and turns golden brown, rotating half way through. Check after 20 minutes since the smaller decorations might be done before the bowls.