Salted Heirloom Tomato & Herbed Chèvre Rough-Puff Carrés
August in the Bay Area brings heirloom tomatoes so heavy and sweet they practically demand a stage. During my early days in professional kitchens, I watched line cooks desperately fight the soggy-bottom battle with summer tarts. We are not suffering for brunch, so I developed these carrés. By draining the tomatoes first, we guarantee maximum flake with zero sogginess. The inspiration came from a sun-drenched afternoon in Provence, where simplicity always wins. My rough-puff method gives you lacy layers without spending your whole Sunday folding butter. We spread a thick layer of tangy chèvre mixed with soft herbs, top with ruby-red slices, and let the oven do the heavy lifting. Butter is not a garnish, so use the good stuff. Cami's shortcut note: store-bought all-butter puff pastry works in a pinch, but my quick rough-puff takes ten minutes and changes everything. Don't skip salting the tomatoes on a paper towel—it is the non-negotiable step that keeps your pastry shatteringly crisp.
Featured Recipe
Salted Heirloom Tomato & Herbed Chèvre Rough-Puff Carrés
Shatteringly crisp, buttery rough-puff pastry loaded with tangy herbed goat cheese and thick slices of August heirloom tomatoes. Draining the tomatoes first guarantees maximum flake with zero sogginess.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour(chilled in the freezer for 10 minutes)
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt(divided)
- 1 cup cultured unsalted butter(cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
- 0.5 cup ice water(very cold)
- 1.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes(thickly sliced)
- 4 oz soft goat cheese (chèvre)(room temperature)
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves(chopped)
- 1 egg(beaten with 1 tsp water for egg wash)
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt(for finishing)
- 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Slice 1.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Arrange them in a single layer on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt. Let them sit to draw out excess moisture while you prepare the pastry.
15 min
Tip: Salt-draining tomatoes is non-negotiable. Excess water is the absolute enemy of crisp puff pastry.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour and 0.5 tsp kosher salt. Toss in 1 cup cultured unsalted butter cubes. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to press the butter into flattened sheets, keeping large, visible pieces intact. Pour in 0.5 cup ice water and mix gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
10 min
Tip: Keep the butter cold and chunked. Large flattened pieces of butter create the steam pockets that yield rich, lacy puff.
- 3
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rough rectangle. Roll out to a 8x12-inch rectangle, then fold into thirds like a business letter (turn 1). Rotate 90 degrees, roll out again, and fold into thirds once more (turn 2).
10 min
Tip: This quick lamination-lite method takes under five minutes and guarantees bakery-worthy layers.
- 4
Wrap the dough disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator to rest the gluten and firm up the butter. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the middle position.
20 min
Tip: The fridge is your friend here. Cold butter entering a hot oven equals instant rise.
- 5
In a small bowl, mash together 4 oz soft goat cheese (chèvre), 2 tbsp crème fraîche, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, and 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper until smooth and spreadable.
5 min
Tip: Dijon adds essential acidity to cut through the rich butter and creamy chèvre.
- 6
Roll chilled dough out into a 12x12-inch square. Cut into 4 equal 6x6-inch squares (carrés). Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Lightly score a 1/2-inch border inside each square using a paring knife. Spread 4 oz soft goat cheese (chèvre) mixture inside the border, then top with dried 1.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes slices.
10 min
Tip: Do not press down on the scored borders; leaving them clean allows the outer rim to rise high and flaky.
- 7
Brush the outer scored pastry borders with 1 egg. Bake at 400°F for 22 to 25 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden, puffed, and the tomato tops look slightly blistered. Finish with 1 tsp flaky sea salt.
25 min
Tip: Look for a deep hazelnut-colored bake on the edges. Pale pastry means soft, dense layers.
Chef's Notes
Butter is not a garnish, so invest in rich, cultured butter here—it delivers maximum flake and nutty depth. Salt-draining the tomatoes removes excess water that would otherwise turn your puff pastry soggy. We are not suffering for brunch, so let time do the work in the fridge and enjoy crisp café perfection at home.
Camille Roux
Café-level bakes, weeknight methods, zero compromise.
Camille “Cami” Roux was born in Paris with flour in her hair and a healthy skepticism of culinary dogma. She grew up around neighborhood boulangeries that treated crust and crumb like religion—but what stuck with her wasn’t rigid tradition. It was the quiet precision: good butter that actually tastes like milk, patient fermentation that builds flavor for free, and desserts that know when to stop before they get cloying. After moving to the Bay Area, Cami trained in a bread-and-pastry scene obsessed with texture, naturally leavened doughs, and seasonal fruit—Tartine energy, minus the martyrdom. She became known for loaves that sing when they cool, jammy tarts with clean edges, and “how is this so good?” weeknight pastries made with a few smart shortcuts. Her motto is high impact, low fuss: splurge where it counts (butter, salt, time), streamline the rest (sheet pans, one bowl, cold-proofing). If it doesn’t improve flavor or structure, it doesn’t earn a step.