How can I get my puff pastry to rise?

Question

When I made chicken pot pie, the filling was fine but the puff pastry on top didn't puff up though it did cook through.
How can I remedy this?

The pastry was the store-bought frozen variety. The temperature was 375 °F and I used and egg wash for the glaze.

Answer

If you've baked your puff pastry in the past at 375 then it's probably not a temperature problem, however I usually bake it between 400-425 degrees (400 convection or 425 in standard oven). Lower temperatures aren't a problem for the baking aspect as it will still cook through. The problem lies in the fact that the heat won't be significant enough to generate the steam needed for expansion.

Egg wash could be a culprit as it should only be used on the top and not allowed to run down the sides where it will seal the edge together and keep it from rising unevenly.

Check more discussion of this question.