Homemade puff pastry wrapped around a salmon and cream cheese filling makes this Salmon en Croute an elegant choice for date night or any special occasion. If you enjoy indulgent fish dishes, this one is sure to impress.
This week my “Inspired by MasterChef” challenge pushed me to make Salmon en Croute for the first time — and to attempt puff pastry from scratch. The result surprised me: the pastry developed visible, delicate layers just like proper puff pastry. I had always assumed making puff pastry at home was too time-consuming and not worth the effort. After trying it, I can say it’s doable and rewarding.
Is it Hard to Make Your Own Puff Pastry?
It’s not as difficult as I feared. Making puff pastry at home takes time mainly because the dough needs resting periods, so expect a couple of hours including chilling. The payoff is worth it: that sense of accomplishment and the buttery, flaky result make it ideal for special meals. Ready-made puff pastry is still a convenient option for everyday cooking, but try making it yourself at least once for a special occasion.
Can You Use Ready Rolled Puff Pastry Instead?
Absolutely. Ready-rolled puff pastry will work fine and speeds the process. For this challenge I used homemade pastry because I wanted the full experience, but there’s no problem using store-bought sheets if you prefer convenience.
How Similar Is This Recipe to the MasterChef Version?
I’m not certain how closely this matches the MasterChef version. Their dish was served in a canteen setting and accompanied by a fennel and orange salad, from what I recall. My inspiration came from watching the show, but I adapted the approach and based my puff pastry on a Gordon Ramsay method, reducing the butter slightly. The result was rich and buttery — you can reduce the butter further if you want a lighter pastry.
Salmon en Croute Recipe
Recipe
Salmon en Croute
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Puff Pastry
- 120 g strong white flour
- 100 g butter
- ½ tsp salt
- 50 ml cold water
Ingredients for the Filling
- 2 salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
How to Make the Puff Pastry
- Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour but leave relatively large lumps so you can see streaks of butter in the dough.
- Add the cold water gradually and mix with a knife until the mixture just binds to form a dough. You may not need all the water. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Flour the work surface, your hands and the rolling pin. Give the dough a quick knead, then roll it out in one direction to form a long thin rectangle where the butter streaks remain visible. Fold the top third down, then fold the bottom third up (like letter folding).
- Turn the dough 90 degrees, roll out again and repeat the folding process two more times. Chill the folded dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough to the required size. At this stage you may roll in both directions to reach the right shape.
Assemble and Bake
- If necessary, remove the skin and any bones from the salmon and season lightly. Place each fillet on the pastry.
- Mix the chopped chives into the cream cheese and season with black pepper. Spread the cheese mixture over the top of each salmon fillet. Fold the pastry around the salmon, sealing the edges well. Press the edges with a fork and trim away any excess pastry. Make a few small slits on top to allow steam to escape.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the salmon is cooked through.
- Serve the Salmon en Croute with a fresh salad or steamed vegetables.
Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and provided as a guideline only.
Nutrition
Calories: 867 kcal • Carbohydrates: 44 g • Protein: 42 g • Fat: 57 g • Saturated Fat: 30 g • Cholesterol: 217 mg • Sodium: 1062 mg
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More Delicious Salmon Recipes
Here are a few other salmon recipes to try:
Salmon Miso Soup with Soba Noodles
Moroccan Spiced Salmon with Ras el Hanout
Salmon Pasta Bake
Keep in Touch
If you make this recipe or any of my others, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Feedback from readers is always welcome.
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