How to Make Puff Pastry
Pour the flour and salt into a food processor and pulse for a few seconds., Cut the butter into cubes., Add the butter a little bit at a time to the food processor and mix., Add the cold water and pulse for a few more seconds., Cover the dough with...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pour the flour and salt into a food processor and pulse for a few seconds.
This combines the flour and salt evenly.
If you do not have a food processor, then pour the flour and salt into a bowl and mix with a fork.
If you are unable to purchase all-purpose flour, then use plain flour. -
Step 2: Cut the butter into cubes.
This will help the butter soften faster and make it easier to blend into the flour and salt. , Pulse the food processor for a few seconds before you add more butter.
This makes the butter more manageable and prevent the blades from getting stuck.If you do not have a food processor, put the butter into the bowl and mix it lightly with the flour using a fork.
Then, roll a pastry blade across the butter and flour using a back and forth motion.
Keep lifting and rocking the pastry blade until you have a rough, crumbly texture.
The butter chunks should be roughly the size of a pea., The dough will start to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
If you are using a bowl, lightly pat the dough down with your hands, then make a small well in the center.
Pour the water into the well and mix with a fork until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. , After 20 minutes are up, take the dough out and unwrap it. , This prevents the dough from sticking to everything.
Be sure to keep a bag of flour on hand, in case you have to add more flour to your work surface; the dough will absorb the flour as you work with it, making the work surface sticky. , The dough may feel dry, but this is normal.
Do not add water to it; it will become softer the more you work with it. , Do not make the dough too thin; you will be rolling it out some more later.
You may see some streaks of butter in the dough, which is also normal.
Do not attempt to mix the butter in. , Roll in one direction only.
The dough should be three times longer than it is wide., Take the bottom third of the rectangle, and fold it just past the middle.
Take the upper third of the rectangle and fold it down on top of the rest of the dough, making a square. , It does not matter which side: left or right.
If the dough does not turn easily, it means that it has begun to stick to the cutting board.
Gently lift it up and spread some more flour down onto the board.
Set the dough back down and try rotating it again. , In this way, you are creating thin layers in the dough. , Leave it in there for at least one hour, or overnight. , Once the dough has thoroughly chilled, you can take it out of the refrigerator, roll it out, and use it to make croissants, filled pastry bites, or even baked brie cheese. -
Step 3: Add the butter a little bit at a time to the food processor and mix.
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Step 4: Add the cold water and pulse for a few more seconds.
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Step 5: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.This gives the butter time to cool back down
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Step 6: and prevents your dough from becoming too soft.
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Step 7: Lightly flour your cutting board and rolling pin.
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Step 8: Turn the dough onto the cutting board.
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Step 9: Form the dough into a flat square by kneading it gently.
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Step 10: Use the rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle.
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Step 11: Fold the dough into thirds.
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Step 12: Rotate the dough 90 degrees to either side.
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Step 13: Repeat the rolling
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Step 14: folding
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Step 15: and turning process six to seven more times.
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Step 16: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator.
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Step 17: Use the dough.
Detailed Guide
This combines the flour and salt evenly.
If you do not have a food processor, then pour the flour and salt into a bowl and mix with a fork.
If you are unable to purchase all-purpose flour, then use plain flour.
This will help the butter soften faster and make it easier to blend into the flour and salt. , Pulse the food processor for a few seconds before you add more butter.
This makes the butter more manageable and prevent the blades from getting stuck.If you do not have a food processor, put the butter into the bowl and mix it lightly with the flour using a fork.
Then, roll a pastry blade across the butter and flour using a back and forth motion.
Keep lifting and rocking the pastry blade until you have a rough, crumbly texture.
The butter chunks should be roughly the size of a pea., The dough will start to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
If you are using a bowl, lightly pat the dough down with your hands, then make a small well in the center.
Pour the water into the well and mix with a fork until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. , After 20 minutes are up, take the dough out and unwrap it. , This prevents the dough from sticking to everything.
Be sure to keep a bag of flour on hand, in case you have to add more flour to your work surface; the dough will absorb the flour as you work with it, making the work surface sticky. , The dough may feel dry, but this is normal.
Do not add water to it; it will become softer the more you work with it. , Do not make the dough too thin; you will be rolling it out some more later.
You may see some streaks of butter in the dough, which is also normal.
Do not attempt to mix the butter in. , Roll in one direction only.
The dough should be three times longer than it is wide., Take the bottom third of the rectangle, and fold it just past the middle.
Take the upper third of the rectangle and fold it down on top of the rest of the dough, making a square. , It does not matter which side: left or right.
If the dough does not turn easily, it means that it has begun to stick to the cutting board.
Gently lift it up and spread some more flour down onto the board.
Set the dough back down and try rotating it again. , In this way, you are creating thin layers in the dough. , Leave it in there for at least one hour, or overnight. , Once the dough has thoroughly chilled, you can take it out of the refrigerator, roll it out, and use it to make croissants, filled pastry bites, or even baked brie cheese.
About the Author
Brenda Hayes
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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