How To Make Puff Pastry

Puff pastry or pâte feuilletée is a fine, light and rich type of pastry that is regarded as the most superior and professional of pastries in French cooking.

Puff Pastry Recipe

Ingredients

• 170g (6oz) of plain flour
• 170g (6oz) of unsalted butter (or salted butter)
• 150ml (5fl oz) of cold water
• 1 tsp of lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt and 30g (1oz) of the butter. Mix the butter into the flour with your fingertips.
2. Stir in the water and lemon juice and mix the ingredients together to form a soft dough.
3. Turn out onto a floured marble surface and knead further to make a firm and pliable dough.
4. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Soften the butter a little and shape it into a rectangle that is 1in (2.5cm) thick.
6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a similar rectangle shape but 3 times the length and 1in (2.5cm) wider than the piece of butter.
7. Place the butter in the centre of the dough.
8. Fold up the bottom third and fold the top third of the pastry down over the butter so that it is completely covered.
9. Press down the edges of the dough so that they are sealed down.
10. Turn the dough a quarter turn clockwise.
11. Roll the dough out again to the original length and fold over the top and bottom as before. Seal the edges again and turn a quarter turn clockwise.
12. Repeat step 11 and then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The dough can be covered and protected with greaseproof paper.
13. Remove from the fridge and repeat the rolling, folding and turning process two more times and then chill for a final 30 minutes before either using in a recipe or freezing.