Step 1

Thaw the puff pastry overnight or on the counter: If you have time, it's best to thaw puff pastry overnight in the fridge. If you don't have time, thaw it on the counter until it's pliable enough to unfold without cracking, but still cold to the touch. Keep a close eye on it — if the butter is starting to melt or if the dough feels very limp, refrigerate it for 30 minutes to help it firm up again.

Step 2

Unfold or unroll the puff pastry: Most store-bought puff comes folded or rolled into smaller packages. Carefully unfold or unroll the puff on your counter, taking care at any seams or toward the center of the roll, which are prone to cracking. If the pastry does start to crack, wait a few minutes and try again. Small cracks can usually be patched together again when you roll it out. Remove any packing papers or liners.

Step 3

Lightly roll out the puff pastry: Dust the top of the puff with just a little flour, then use a rolling pin to very lightly roll across the seams and bumps from the packaging and make the pastry even. Don't press to hard here or your pastry might not puff as much — the goal is just to flatten it, not to actually roll it out.

Step 4

Cut and shape the puff pastry: Cut the puff pastry into whatever shapes you like, according to your imagination or a recipe that you're following. You can use the entire sheet of puff to make a big tart, shape smaller individual tarts, or even bake the puff inside muffin cups and fill them later.

Step 5

Bake the pastries at 425°F until puffed: Bake just until you see them puff up and just start to brown, roughly 10 minutes. Baking time will vary based on the size of your pastries and their filling, so keep an eye on them.

Step 6

Bake the pastries at 375°F until done: Lower the oven temperature and continue baking until the pastries are dry, crisp, and deep golden-brown.

Step 7

Cool and serve: Let the pastries cool slightly, then serve. Or if you're filling them after baking, let them cool completely, then fill and serve. Wait to fill the pastries until just before serving or else the pastries will get soggy.