Puff Pastry?!

Ok, so here's what happens when I sit down on my (impromptu) day off: I open my mail, read a few webcomics, and inevitably end up with six tabs open of Tartelette recipes, drooling uncontrollably and having to stop myself from buying six Silpat mats and a stand mixer (and a plane ticket to France with an empty suitcase to fill with fresh food). My latest revelation, inspiration and downright challenge is to try making puff pastry dough. Yes, that puff pastry dough. The turn-it-six-times pain-in-the-butt puff pastry dough. The first time I read how to make it (about half an hour ago), I got really excited, then really discouraged (six times? cold butter? MARBLE SLAB?!). In a makeshift kitchen on a grad student's budget in a humid, humid, humid (did I say humid?) apartment, puff pastry dough seemed all but impossible. It's taken me a fair few hours to make the recipes I have taken a stab at so far (triplir mousse, post forthcoming, peach and blueberry galettes...), so I sat there imagining an entire day of pacing the kitchen, waiting for the dough to cool every half hour.

And then I read her recipe for gluten-free puff pastry dough. Yes! Gluten-free! And... easier? Easier than regular puff pastry dough? AMAZING!!! So, as a challenge to myself and a gift to my gluten-free compatriots (I was gluten-free myself until a few months ago), I'm going to make gluten-free puff pastry. And then make something with it (I haven't decided what quite yet). Any suggestions? (Who am I kidding... five posts in one week; who's had time to find, read or comment yet?) I might go with a mascarpone creme filling; berries are still in season here, and man do I love a good blueberry. It'd give me an excuse to go berry picking for the first time! (I know, I know, I've lived here how long?) Alright then, blueberries it is. But I do awfully like pears... Pear-blueberry? Nah... OOH! YES! Here we go, providing I can find the ingredients and still be able to pay rent this month: Gluten-free puff pastry with blueberry mascarpone creme and whipped pâté de foie gras. I'm not sold on the mascarpone part, seeing as I've never had it before, but we'll see what happens. I love love love goat cheese, so that might replace it. Whipped blueberry goat cheese is one of my favorite yummy summer spreads. Goat cheese + foi gras though? Hmm.... The puff pastry might be enough... Ok, so we've got:

- Puff pastry (gluten-free)
- Pâté de foie gras (possibly whipped)
- Blueberries
- (maybe) Goat cheese

Go! =) I might make that as the second big thing for next week's baking party, along with Tartelette's Pear and Almond Fallen Soufflé Cakes. Yum!

(I got way over-sweeted by the triplir mousse I made last night, and am craving something a little more savoury.)

I'll post as I go, throwing caution to the wind and spare change at farmstands. Where do I find foie gras in a farm town...? (Oy, I just realized I could probably make it myself... Well, here goes nothing!)