Gluten Free Puff Pastry

Crisp croissants. Decadent pain au chocolat. Towering strawberries-and-cream napoleons. The tempting treats that populate the shelves at your favorite French bakery are all made with one very special food: puff pastry. And for a long, sad time, gluten-free folks had to pass on the puff. But those dark days are over, thanks to Aran Goyoaga, the brains behind the beautiful food blog Cannelle et Vanille. Born in Bilbao, Spain, Goyoaga went gluten-free a few years back, and she's spent the interim developing innovative techniques for gluten-less versions of everything from chocolate cake to squid ink pasta.

For a gluten-free puff pastry with plenty of stretch and smoothness, she adds the binder xanthan gum to the mix and employs a light hand with the dough to avoid ripping or overworking it. Once you have conquered the recipe, you can use it to make everything, from tarts to beef Wellington to palmiers. Just follow her technique carefully and be gentle with that dough. The flaky, buttery results will prove well worth your while.