Puff pastry

Keep it cold until it goes into a fully preheated oven, and cut it with a sharp knife without squashing the edges. For a raised border, score a line near the edge without cutting right through the pastry.

Bake it in a preheated oven at about 200 °C, or 180 °C for a fan oven, until well risen and golden; small pieces may take around 15 minutes, while larger tarts need longer. Follow the recipe if it gives a different temperature or time.

Thaw it in its packaging in the fridge until pliable, then unroll it gently while still cool. If it becomes warm and sticky, chill it again before shaping.

You can assemble them a few hours ahead, cover and chill them, then brush with egg just before baking. Keep uncooked pastry cold so its layers do not soften before they reach the oven.

Use it for savoury pies, sausage rolls, cheese straws and vegetable tarts, or sweet apple turnovers, palmiers and mille-feuille. Add moist fillings sparingly and cool cooked fillings first to help the base stay crisp.

Yes, but the result will be crisp and layered rather than thick and puffed. Brush filo sheets lightly with melted butter or oil and stack several layers; filo has 289 kcal and 6 g fat per 100 g, compared with 408 kcal and 29 g fat in puff pastry.

Once completely cool, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature and eat it within a day or two for the best texture. Warm it briefly in the oven to crisp it up; a microwave tends to make it soft.