The Upside Down Pastry Hack That's All Over TikTok

Puff pastry is a versatile base for many treats, from breakfast to desserts. This buttery, flaky dough also goes well with many different flavors, so we think you should always have a box of frozen puff pastry in your freezer in case of emergencies. Although, if you're bold enough to make it from scratch, we have a fantastic recipe for homemade puff pastry.

One hack that has taken over TikTok might change how you've been using puff pastry — and allow you to craft professional-looking treats effortlessly. It doesn't require anything beyond a slight change in how you layer your ingredients. Typically, the pastry serves as a base, and you position everything else on top. The TikTok hack involves starting with the filling: In the video that popularized this innovative approach, the creator used honey and thinly-sliced apples, then arranged the ingredients atop parchment paper before placing the puff pastry on top of the apple and honey mixture. 

Once baked, as you would with a Tarte Tatin or other upside-down desserts — flip everything back over, and you are left with a picture-perfect pastry. However, even though you've reversed the order of how everything sits, you'll want to follow best practices and avoid any common mistakes with puff pastry, such as letting your butter or dough get too warm. 

Users of the social media platform couldn't get enough of the quirky approach, and the video racked up over 825,000 likes and 15,000 shares. There were also more than 1,000 comments, with many weighing in on the ingredients they would feature with this method. While honey and apples are a tasty pairing, the possible flavor combinations for this upside-down approach to puff pastry treats are endless. 

@fitwaffle

Upside down apple pastries #apple #pastry #puffpastry

♬ Mother – Meghan Trainor

First, don't think you have to stick to the sweet side of the spectrum. This hack opens the door to an easier way of making seriously impressive savory appetizers. Avoid ingredients that will ooze when heated and items that won't hold their shape. For example, it's better to wrap brie cheese in puff pastry. Options like goat cheese, feta, or ricotta, none of which melt, are great picks. Pair a robust type of cheese with thinly sliced vegetables, like asparagus or squash, for a winning combination.

The upside-down method also works well if you're trying to create a more decorative filling. Consider whipping up a cream cheese mixture and a jam mixture separately, then piping them in alternating rows to create an eye-catching striped pattern. Since you pipe the filling onto the baking sheet, you could sketch a more ambitious design on the parchment paper's underside. It's far easier to achieve a more precise look than piping directly onto the pastry. Puff pastry creates a blank canvas for many flavor profiles, so feel free to experiment!