How to Thaw Puff Pastries Quickly

Microwave

Remove 1 pastry sheet from the packaging. Use the microwave if you need to thaw your pastry sheets as fast as possible. The puff pastry won't need to be microwaved or thawed if it can be folded easily. The pastry sheet should be cold to the touch when you use it. If the sheet is room temperature or warmer, return it to the fridge and give it some time to chill. Don't manipulate a pastry sheet that's not fully thawed as this could lead to the sheet tearing.

Wrap the pastry sheet in a paper towel. Use a clean, dry paper towel and lay the pastry sheet on the towel and then fold the towel over it. If the paper towel isn't large enough, use a second or a third paper towel to sufficiently cover the pastry sheet.

Place the pastry sheet in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Place the towels and pastry sheet on the plate in your microwave. Turn the microwave to the "high" setting and turn the microwave on for 15 seconds. When the 15 seconds are up, flip the paper towels and pastry sheet and turn the microwave on for another 15 seconds. If the pastry sheet doesn't fold easily after coming out of the microwave, place it back in on "high" for another 5 seconds on each side. Keep microwaving for 5 seconds on each side until the pastry sheet folds easily.

Fridge

Take the pastry sheets out of the packaging. The fridge is the slowest method for thawing your pastry but ensures a thorough thaw. The fridge will also keep your pastry cool so you can use it as soon as you take it out of the fridge. Check if the pastry sheets need to be thawed by trying to fold them. If they can be easily folded, the pastry sheets don't need to be thawed. Puff pastry should feel cold when you're using it for baking. If the pastry sheet can be folded easily but feels warm to the touch, you should place the pastry sheets in the fridge to cool them instead of thawing them.

Separate the sheets and place them on plates. Place each pastry sheet on its own plate. Don't place 2 or more sheets on top of each to save space as this will stop them from being properly thawed while in the fridge.

Cover each plate with plastic wrapping. Open your roll of plastic wrap and stretch it over each plate, folding the excess at each side under the plate. The bottom of the plate will hold the wrap in place while the pastries are defrosting in the fridge.

Place your pastry sheets in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours. When your pastry sheets are covered in plastic wrap on each plate, they are ready to be put in the fridge to defrost. Leave the pastry sheets for 3 hours and check to see if you can easily fold them. If you can, they are ready to be used. If you still feel like the pastry sheets are frozen, leave them in the fridge for another hour. After the 4 hours are up, check to see how easy it is to fold the pastry. They should be fully thawed at this point and ready for use.

Countertop

Remove the puff pastry from the packaging. Thawing at room temperature takes the least amount of effort on your part but can be quite slow. Look at the pastry sheets to find out if they need to be thawed. If they are cold and you can easily fold them, they are ready for use. If they feel warm to the touch, place them in the fridge and let them chill.

Place each pastry sheet on its own plate. Give each pastry sheet its own plate and lay the plates out on a counter in your kitchen. Don't stack the pastry sheets on top of each other as they will not thaw evenly or properly.

Give the sheets 40 minutes to thaw. After 40 minutes, your pastry sheets should be fully thawed. If not, give them another 10 minutes before testing them again to see if they've thawed. If they've thawed but now feel like they're at room temperature, place the sheets in the fridge for 10 minutes to give them time to become cool.