Filo pastry vs Puff pastry

[superbaker007]

What's the difference ?

 

[Norcalbaker59]

What's the difference ?

Filo (also spelled phyllo) is made up of individual sheets of ultra-thin dough. These sheets can be used one at a time or layered as needed. A dough is mixed and kneaded until a strong gluten network is developed. The dough is then stretched so thin it become translucent enough to see through it.

Puff pastry, by contrast, is a laminated dough—not individual sheets. It cannot be separated into layers before baking. Instead, its flaky layers form during baking as a result of repeatedly folding and rolling fat (usually butter) between layers of dough.

While I have never made phyllo, I’ve made apple strudel dough, which is very similar. The difference phyllo bakes dry and brittle, while strudel dough bakes softer, but still crispy.