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Puff pastry is a light, flaky dough made from alternating layers of butter and dough. It is created through a process of repeatedly folding and rolling the dough and fat, which creates hundreds of thin layers. When baked, the water in the fat turns to steam, causing these layers to expand rapidly, resulting in a pastry that can rise up to 10 times its original height. This technique is often used for French pastries like patty shells and napoleons. While butter is commonly used, its low melting point can be problematic, so bakers sometimes opt for special margarines with higher melting points.1234

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