🧈 Classic Puff Pastry (Rough Puff Version)
This is a simplified version of traditional puff pastry that’s much faster, but still gives excellent layers.
Ingredients:
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2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
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1 tsp salt
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1 cup (225 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
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½ cup (120 ml) very cold water (plus 1–2 tbsp more if needed)
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Optional: 1 tsp lemon juice (helps tenderize)
Instructions:
1. Make the Dough (Détrempe):
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In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
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Add cold butter cubes and toss to coat. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, break the butter into the flour until you have pea-sized chunks. Don’t overmix — you want visible chunks of butter.
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Add cold water and stir gently with a fork until the dough just comes together. It will look shaggy.
2. Form and Chill:
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Turn out onto a floured surface and shape into a rough rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill for 20–30 minutes.
3. Roll & Fold (Laminate):
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On a floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle (about 8×16 inches).
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Fold the dough like a letter: top third down, bottom third up over it.
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Rotate the dough 90°, then repeat the roll-and-fold.
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Chill for 20–30 minutes between every 2 folds. Repeat the folding process 4–6 times for best flakiness.
4. Rest and Use:
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Chill the finished dough for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
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Roll out and use as needed. Bake at 400–425°F (200–220°C) depending on the recipe.
🥐 Tips for Success:
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Keep everything cold. Warm butter will melt into the dough and ruin the layering.
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Chill between folds to relax gluten and keep butter solid.
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Don’t overwork. You want distinct layers of butter, not fully incorporated fat.
💡 Uses for Puff Pastry:
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Savory: Cheese twists, sausage rolls, vegetable tarts, chicken pot pie crusts
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Sweet: Apple turnovers, mille-feuille (Napoleon), palmiers, fruit galettes
Would you like:
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A traditional laminated puff pastry (more advanced)?
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A cheat version using store-bought dough?
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Or recipes that use puff pastry (like tarts, pinwheels, or turnovers)?