Working with Puff Pastry

Keep puff pastry cold. Thaw it in the fridge and handle it as little as possible. Cut it with a sharp knife straight down, because dragging the knife seals the layers and they won't rise. Egg-wash the top, not the cut edges. If it softens while you work, slide it back into the fridge for ten minutes. Bake it hot, around 200°C (400°F), so the water in the butter turns to steam and lifts the layers.