The Store-Bought Ingredient Ina Garten Thinks Is Just Fine To Use When Baking

If Ina Garten says store bought is fine, store bought is just fine. Ina Garten is a fount of kitchen wisdom and recipe hacks (like her 3-flavor rule for developing a dish). Garten also advocates for sumptuous meals that are simple to achieve. If you don't know her for memorable recipes like her decadent take on chocolate cake or her rustic roast chicken, you'll know her for her catchphrase, "store bought is fine." Lucky for Ina fans and pastry-lovers, pre-made pastry dough falls in the "store bought is fine" category.

The process of making homemade puff pastry can feel like a daunting undertaking, but it's an essential component of countless savory and sweet confections. Puff pastry forms the flaky base of treats like asparagus and lemon ricotta tarts, or sweet, handheld turnovers. In Garten's case, the chef affirms store-bought puff pastry is the accessible answer to completing her French apple tart recipe.

You can expedite the pastry process by buying a package of puff pastry sheets at the freezer section at your grocery store. Ina Garten keeps hers chilled in the refrigerator until she's ready to dress it in sliced granny smith apples. Frozen puff pastry is low-maintenance and ready to flavor with fruit, cheese, or veggies. Many brands simply require that you unfold them upon removal from the package.

Classic puff pastry, or "pâte feuilletée," is composed of laminated dough and can be a lengthy labor of love to create from scratch. Butter is repeatedly folded into a simple dough, which gives the pastry its flaky, raised layers. If you dare to take on the task of making your own puff pastry, practice (and patience) makes for a perfect dough. It also doesn't hurt to familiarize yourself with the common rolling pin mistake that can deflate your puff pastry.