What can I substitute for Pepperidge Farm's 3174 frozen pastry sheets. I'm very limited in what I can buy in our small town, so I'm open to making something from scratch. Would a simple puff pastry work? The recipe is Chocolate Velvet Torte.

 We can only assume you are talking about Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets. You confused us with the random numbers, which we assume have something to do with a message you received from aliens….

Really, the only frozen sheets Pepperidge Farm makes is puff pastry sheets, and (don't tell Pepperidge Farm) we'd rather you make puff pastry from scratch. Theirs is based on vegetable shortening, which doesn't hold a candle to puff pastry made with butter. We appreciate, though, that Pepperidge Farm puff pastry exists and is widely available (even if not in your small town) because there have been occasions when even we don't have the time to make puff pastry from scratch, and if it weren't available, many, many people would never cook with puff pastry.

We are intrigued, though, about your making a torte with puff pastry. Must have to do with another communication from those aliens of yours.

Submit your question
to Ochef