Puff Pastry
What if I tell you that it’s easy to make puff pastry? Well, it is! With this easy homemade recipe, you’ll probably won’t buy frozen sheets anymore. This is the best tasting, puff pastry recipe ever!
I used to buy store-bought puff pastry. At first, I was a bit intimidated by the process of making this delicate, light, and flaky pastry. But I felt that I just need to have a go at it since I live in France.
Pâte feuilletée is what they call it here and it is used for pie crust, danish, and biscuits. This recipe is really basic and uses ingredients that are readily available in your kitchen.
So, let’s change the idea that puff pastry is just an ingredient you buy from the grocery store. It’s definitely a thing you can make yourself at home.
How to make Puff Pastry
One thing to remember is… when making these kinds of pastries is to keep them nice and cold at all times! Having said that, gather your ingredients. You will need flour, salt, butter, and water. That’s it, only four ingredients folks.
You start off by mixing the flour and salt in a mixing bowl then give it a quick whisk to combine everything evenly. Add cubed cold butter and toss into the flour mixture. Using your hand mix flour and butter until most of the butter is coated with flour.
Up next is cold water. Pour gradually while mixing by hand until the dough forms a ball. Just to be on the safe side, it’s best to give the dough a chill. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes.
Next, dust your work surface with flour and start laminating. Roll the dough into a rectangular shape roughly 17×9 inches. Fold the dough into thirds just like an envelope. Roll again into a rectangle then repeat the process.
By this time, the butter is getting warm again so wrap it in cling film and pop it again in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once it’s cold and firm. Repeat the laminating process again and you’re done! Bottom line is, the more you fold it, the more flaky layers it will have. Fold anywhere from 4 to 6 times if you fancy.
You might also like:
- This puff pastry works well with Tarte Fine aux Pomme (Thin Crusted Apple Pie)
- or for Pork Empanada.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
Tips for Puff Pastry
- If you want to give your pastry a beautiful, golden-brown sheen, brush it with an egg beaten with a couple of teaspoons of water.
- Before baking, pastry must be cold and the oven must be hot. Make sure the pastry feels cold and firm and make sure your oven is preheated so that the minute it goes in, the butter releases steam and lifts all those beautiful layers.
- When making the dough, especially when you’re in a warm location. Before placing dough on top of your work surface, you can wrap ice in a thick kitchen towel and place it on your work surface to keep it cool.
- The dough can also be frozen. It will keep for several weeks in the freezer, tightly wrapped. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 375 grams all purpose flour
- 300 grams butter – must be 80% fat (cold, cut into cubes )
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup cold water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl put the flour and salt then whisk to combine.
- Add the cold cubed butter (1 x 1 inch) then mix by hand or stand mixer until all the butter is combined with the flour.
- Pour water gradually while mixing until you form a dough.
- If the butter is getting warm and soft, wrap in cling film and let chill for 20-30 minutes in the fridge. If not, continue with the next step.
- Unwrap the dough, dust the work surface with flour, and roll the dough into a rough rectangle shape (17×9 cm.). Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter. Turn 90 degrees, roll and fold again.
- Wrap in cling film and let chill for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.
- Repeat folding step about 2 to 5 times, wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
