Puff Pastry Dough

Used to make croissants, danishes, anything with super flaky dough.

It is time consuming, but work every minute because that buttery pastry at the end is just lovely and delicious.

Recipes on my Blog:

- Cream Cheese Danish (and Peach)

Ingredients: Puff Pastry

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 ounces unsalted butter - cold

7 ounces water - very cold

10 ounces unsalted butter - cold

1/2 cup flour - for dusting

Instructions: Puff Pastry

- Step 1 - Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl mix in 2 1/2 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt.

- Step 2 - Cut in the Butter

In the flour bowl mix in 3 ounces of unsalted butter that is cold and that has been cut up into smaller pieces to make it easier to mix.

- Step 3 - Blend in Butter

Blend in the butter using your hands or potato masher; but do this quickly, so it does not warm up. It will be slightly thicker, but almost not noticeable.

- Step 4 - Create a Well

Create a small well in the middle of your flour mixture.

- Step 5 - Add the Ice Cold Water

Pour 7 ounces of very cold water into the middle of your well.

- Step 6 - Mix Well

Pull the flour into the middle with a spatula until it starts to form a dough.

When it starts to become a crumbly dough poor it onto the counter and start needing it until it becomes a solid ball of dough.

Do not need the dough too much because you don't want the gluten to form, so just till it becomes a nice ball.

- Step 7 - Wrap Dough in Plastic Wrap and Refrigerate Over Night (or 8 hours)

- Step 8 - Roll out Butter Between Two Sheets of Parchment Paper Until 1/8 inch Thick and Refrigerate

Place 10 ounces of butter between two pieces of parchment paper.

I cut my sticks of butter in half and made them about the same size to make it easier to roll out.

- Step 9 - Sprinkle Flour on Counter and Start to Roll Out Four Corners

Dust the counter with some flour and start to roll out the dough into a square.

To create the square you'll press your dough ball a little flat creating four corners and keeping the middle with a little extra dough.

- Step 10 - Keep Rolling Out Until Your Butter has Space to be Folded In

Place the butter in the middle of the dough - make your butter offset the dough.

To make this easier and make your butter not crumble into pieces while you are rolling the dough out, have your butter and dough about the same temperature.

The dough should be able to cover the butter completely.

- Step 11 - Fold Butter into the Dough

Fold the butter into the dough like an envelope.

You want the butter to be wrapped up nice and tight in the dough and completely covered.

- Step 12 - Roll Dough Out into a Large Rectangle (15X12)

Roll the butter encased dough out to a large rectangle.

- Step 13 - Fold Dough into Thirds and Make a Small Mark at the Top

You want to fold the dough into thirds (an envelope fold).

Make sure between each fold you dust off an extra flour on the dough.

After you have folded the dough into thirds you want to make a small mark at the top of the dough with your finger just showing how many times you have folded the dough in thirds.

At this time I have already done it twice.

- Step 14 - Wrap Dough in Plastic Wrap and Refrigerate for 30 Minutes

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. If it has to sit in the fridge for a little longer, that is okay.

- Step 15 - Unwrap Dough, Roll the Dough Out (15X12), Mark, and Refrigerate for 30 Minutes

Unwrap the dough and roll it out again into a large rectangle again.

Fold the dough into thirds again.

Make your two marks on your dough, wrap in plastic, and place in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

- Step 16 - Repeat Step 15 Two More Times

- Step 17 - Use as you wish!

"Cooking with Candra" was extremely helpful in teaching me how to make this puff pastry.