The first time I made pate feuilletee (puff pastry) in class, I was amazed at how gorgeous mine turned out. True, it's not a simple thing to make, but the results were phenomenal. Light, golden, buttery layers puffed up higher than the store bought stuff to make a delicious dessert, chaussons aux pommes (apple turnovers). Over the course of the next several weeks, puff pastry popped up in several recipes, including savory ones. Each time I made the delicate dough, it turned out perfect.

And then disaster struck. The day of our pastry final exam, I landed chausson aux pommes. At first I was excited. I felt like I could do this recipe blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back. I was wrong. Over the course of three very painful hours, problem after problem occurred. The refrigerators weren't working so we could chill the dough. The day was super hot, and in a room without air conditioning, puff pastry is next to impossible. Our supervising chef gave me some bad suggestions. My turnovers were a complete disaster, and I left the exam room close to tears.

Almost one year later, I decided to revisit that fateful day and try chausson aux pommes again. This time with a little help from my friend Ms. Glaze, I was able to tackle the recipe again - with success.

Here's our how to video so you can make your own puff pastry at home. Enjoy!

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