Ever in the mood for a warm homemade pastry, but the sheer idea of the legwork you’ll need to enlist = instant buzzkill? If you’ve ever found yourself wishing you could conjure baked goods out of thin air (same, same), might we suggest: upside-down puff pastries, the latest and greatest TikTok food trend that makes baking at home a no-brainer.
This delicious dish simplifies the complex process of preparing laminated dough from scratch by enlisting store-bought puff pastry dough—and yes, upside down pastry recipes are divine when made either savory or sweet. With just a few toppings of your choice and just 20 minutes, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a bakery-worthy pastry right from the comfort of your home.
Okay, but what does an upside-down puff pastry even mean?
Let’s quickly outline what this upside-down puff pastry trend is all about. The foundation of this recipe is puff pastry, a type of laminated dough made by repeatedly folding and rolling cold butter to create small pockets of fat trapped between the dough. As the layers of dough and butter bake, steam is generated, which causes the thin sheets of dough to puff until into crisp, buttery, irresistibly delicate pastry layers.
The only non-negotiable when making this dish is that you use puff pastry dough (store-bought is encouraged for ease) and that it’s baked, well… upside-down. By that, we mean that the toppings get layered on a sheet tray first, followed by a small rectangle of puff pastry dough that seals the ingredients below. This allows the toppings to cook evenly under a blanket of puff pastry as the dough has free reign to double or even triple in size and become light, airy, and crunchy on top.
In terms of toppings, the real beauty is that it’s entirely up to you—more on that ahead. And let me reiterate: It takes no longer than 20 minutes to prepare an upside-down puff pastry. From scratch. Start to finish. Any questions?
5 upside-down puff pastry combinations we can’t get enough of
1. Caramelized shallots + ham + Gruyère
As mentioned, this recipe’s flexible and can be crafted into a sweet or savory rendition. In this version by @lindseyeatsla, Lindsey does a bit of both by layering a drizzle of olive oil, pomegranate molasses, shallot, ham, gruyère, salt, and pepper on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Then, she seals the ingredients with a layer of puff pastry and presses down the edges with a fork, like an empanada. Finally, she coats the dough with a light egg wash, a sprinkle of cheese, and pops it in the oven until the pastry is golden and crispy outside. Then the big reveal: She flips the pastry right-side-up to expose beautifully caramelized shallots, which wouldn’t be complete without some more freshly-grated cheese, obvi.
@lindseyeatslaUpside down puff pastry with caramelized shallots, ham and gruyere cheese ♬ Kübla – Wyl & Wun Two
2. Hot honey + apple + brie
If you like things hot, sweet, and savory, this recipe by @convinoboard has your name written on it. The base of it is a drizzle of Mike’s Hot Honey (IYKYK), thinly-sliced red apple, brie cheese, and more hot honey. Then it’s sealed with the puff pastry and lightly coated with egg wash. The result is a delicious apple dessert that looks like it came straight out of a Parisian bakery.
@convinoboard BRIE & apple upside down puff pastries that hot honey makes these the perfect bite! #puffpastry #briecheese #turnovers #food #appetizer ♬ Cupid Twin Version – Sped Up – EXE ROHIT
3. Beets + balsamic glaze + arugula
Love beets? This recipe by @somethingnutritious is a brand-new way to enjoy them. The recipe creator, Gal Shua-Haim, combines a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic glaze, pepper, a sprig of fresh thyme, and thinly sliced, peeled red beets. Seal it with puff pastry and egg wash, and into the oven it goes. Once cooked to perfection, Shua-Haim tops it off with arugula and fresh white cheese. Consider your weekend brunch plans made.
@somethingnutritious balsamic beet upside down tart IB: @LilyG olive oil balsamic glaze thyme salt & pepper thinly sliced raw beets puff pastry brush with egg and bake on 375 F for 20-22 minutes. flip and serve with arugula & feta cheese #upsidedownpastry #appetizers ♬ Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz(806744) – MaSssuguMusic
4. Pepperoni + mozzarella + pizza sauce
For my fellow pizza partiers. If a good slice of ‘za is your definition of comfort, you’ll melt for this upside-down pizza puff pastry. To make it, @tom.smallwood layers pepperoni, mozzarella, and a splash of pizza sauce on the parchment paper. Then, he seals it with puff pastry and adds an egg wash, which helps to ensure the crust browns to perfection. Yep, the result is as good as it sounds.
@tom.smallwood Upsidedown Pizza Pastries Recipe: 1. Shingle 6 pieces of pepperoni on a sheet of baking paper, trying to keep tight together so you don’t get any leaks 2. Add a small pile of mozzarella on top, keeping in the centre of the pepperoni 3. Add roughly 1 tbsp of any pizza sauce on top of the cheese 4. Place 1/4 of a sheet of puff pastry over the top, moulding around your pizza pile, pressing down the sides 5. Brush with a beaten egg and bake in the oven at 200°C for 20-25 mins #upsidedownpastry #puffpastry #turnover #puffpastrypizza #pepperoni #pizza #food ♬ Cupid – Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) – Sped Up Version – sped up 8282
5. Asparagus + prosciutto + cheese
In a recent TikTok video by @alexawhatsfordinner, Alexa Santos demonstrates various ways to prepare these pastries. However, a standout among them was the asparagus, prosciutto, and cheese combination that screams European summer vacation. Santos combines honey, asparagus, cheese, and prosciutto, which is basically the pastry version of a charcuterie board, and we’re so not mad about it.
@alexawhatsfordinner I love whoever it is that started this trend lil upside pastries are so tasty! Recipes for these flavor varieties below
Asparagus Prosciutto & Cheese ingredients (for 6 pastries): -3 tablespoons honey (or spicy honey) -6 stalks asparagus, bottoms removed -6 1-inch long rectangles Gruyère cheese -6 slices prosciutto -1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted and cut into 6 rectangles -1 egg Strawberry Kiwi ingredients (for 6 pastries): -3 tablespoon honey -6 strawberries, thinly sliced -1 kiwi, thinly sliced -1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted and cut into 6 rectangles -1 egg Blackberry Brie ingredients (for 6 pastries): -3 tablespoons balsamic glaze -12 blackberries, cut in half lengthwise -6 1-inch long rectangles of Brie -1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted and cut into 6 rectangles -1 egg Directions: -Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle six small circles of honey or balsamic glaze. -On top of the honey or balsamic, layer on other ingredients. -Place a rectangle of raw puff pastry on top and gently press around the sides to tuck in all the ingredients. -In a small bowl, whisk together the egg plus a splash of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on the tops of the puff pastry rectangles. -Bake for 15-20 minutes, until pasties are golden brown. Remove from oven and serve. Enjoy! #pastries #easyrecipe #upsidedownpastry #baking #foodvideo #yum #foodtok #satisfying #foodasmr #springproduce #seasonalproduce #puffpastry #bakinghack #kitchenhacks #foodhacks ♬ I Can’t Go For That – Instrumental – Reelsoul & Martin Wilson
So, which one are you making first?
Up next on the brunch menu are vegan Dutch baby pancakes:
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