How Can You Tell If Puffs Has Gone Bad?

Introduction

Feeling hungry? Has the stomach suddenly started growling in the middle of a busy street? A snack should help, right? What is that one item that is loved by all Indians? Let us give you a clue. It’s flaky, crispy, crunchy, with surprising filling and extraordinary taste. Yes, you guessed it right – it is the much-loved puff. They are indeed the best on-the-go snacks for most Indians. A cup of tea and a puff is a common love in India.

At Bakers’ Fun, we specialize not only in baking the best cakes, cupcakes, and muffins but also wonderfully light and flaky puffs. With a myriad of filling, our puffs are always fresh from the oven and best when consumed the same day.

Though our love for puffs is incomparable, it can be tricky to buy the freshest ones. Can you identify stale puffs? When can you tell if the puffs have gone bad? It is indeed difficult to sift the good from the bad. In today’s blog, we shall try to understand the signs of a bad puff and how to detect them easily.

Table of contents:

1. How to Tell When Puffs Have Gone Bad
   • Avoid the Frozen Puffs
   • Check the Filling
   • Say No to Burnt Puffs
2. Conclusion
3. Frequently asked questions

How to Tell When Puffs Have Gone Bad

It can be tricky to tell when puffs have gone bad. On a bakery counter, all will look fresh. But only when you eat them do you realise that it has gone bad. By then it’s too late to do anything. So, how can you tell if the puff on display is fresh or not? Though it is not always easy, below we mention a few telling signs that you should not miss.

• Avoid the Frozen Puffs – In India, we like our puffs fresh unlike in other countries where puff pastries are often frozen. Since we like them fresh, they have a limited shelf life which is not more than 12 hours. If you come across frozen puffs, know that they have been preserved for at least a few days.

• Check the Filling – Another thing that is unique to Indian puffs is the fillings. We have all kinds of desi twist to the classic European snack with our versions of aloo puffs, egg puffs, or chi puffs. The good thing about these fillings is that they must be fresh or else they can spoil the entire puff. So, if you are eating a puff that is stuffed with filling, smell it before biting in. If it’s gone stale, it will smell nasty. That is when you know you must avoid it.

• Say No to Burnt Puffs – Burnt puffs are not common but sometimes you can come across them. If the puffs look burnt to you, avoid them at all costs. Burnt puffs will have a pungent taste and will be quite unpalatable.

Conclusion

If you like your puffs to be fresh, avoid the frozen ones. Fortunately, frozen puffs are not very popular in India. In other countries, puff patties are commonly sold as frozen items. This you will not find here. Even then if a bakery is selling you frozen puffs, stay away from them. Puffs with savoury fillings which are frozen must especially be avoided.

Puffs are great as snacks. You have guests visiting unannounced – simply run to your neighbourhood bakery and buy a few of them. Want your evening tea-time to be different? Get those aloo puffs. There are simply so many reasons why you can have them – but just one reason stopping you – their freshness. Once you know how to detect this, you can have them whenever you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Cream Puffs Go Bad Faster?

Yes, cream puffs are best eaten on the day they are baked. However, you can increase their shelf-life by storing them inside an air-tight container and refrigerating them.

Can I Eat Expired Puff Pastry?
No, you shouldn’t eat expired puff pastry. Puffs are best known for their flakiness and crispness. Expired puffs don’t have both these qualities. Moreover, fillings inside puffs tend to go bad faster which is why you should avoid expired ones.