Homemade Puff Pastry

Method

1. 1

   For the Détrempe: In a large bowl, whisk bread flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until butter pieces are thoroughly coated with flour mixture. Using your fingertips, pinch and flatten butter, then rub it between your fingertips until a sandy texture forms, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. 2

   In a measuring cup, combine cold water and white wine vinegar. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture about 2 to 3 inches wide. Slowly pour water and vinegar mixture into well and, using a fork, gradually incorporate flour into water mixture until a dry, crumbly dough forms.

3. 3

   Tip the dough onto a large, clean, unfloured countertop and gently press until a smooth, firm dough forms; do not knead or overmix.

4. 4

   Using your hands, gently pat dough into a 6-by-7-inch (15-by-18cm) rectangle. Tightly wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours.

5. 5

   For the Butter Block: When you are ready to laminate the dough, set a 9-by-13-inch sheet of parchment on your counter. (Do not make your butter block until you are ready to laminate. The most important thing about your butter is that it is pliable but not greasy or smeary.) On the parchment, arrange cut slices of cold butter into an 8-by-10-inch (20-cm-by-25cm) rectangle. Top butter with another piece of parchment and, using a rolling pin, bash butter until pliable. Roll butter between parchment until it is an even block approximately 7 3/4–by-10 inches (19-by-25cm); set aside at room temperature. (If butter feels too soft or greasy, freeze until firm, 3 to 5 minutes; if it is too cold and cracking when you bend it, let it sit at room temperature until pliable, 1 to 3 minutes.)

6. 6

   To Laminate: On a lightly floured countertop, roll your détrempe until it measures 7 3/4–by-20 inches (19-by-50cm), or twice the width of your butter block. Unwrap the butter block and place it on the dough with its 10-inch (25cm) sides parallel to the 20-inch (50cm) sides of the dough; center the butter block along the long sides of the dough. Bring the edges of the dough around the butter block, pinching them to seal and lock in the butter.

7. 7

   To perform the first fold: Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll it away from and towards yourself until it is about 20-by-8-inches (50-by-20cm) long and about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Fold bottom and top flaps of dough over butter so they meet in the center, pressing seam together with your fingertips to seal. Check that dough is still cool to the touch and pliable. If dough is slack and too warm, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool, about 15 minutes, before performing the second fold in the next step; if the dough is cool to the touch and does not resist rolling, proceed right away to the next step.

8. 8

   To perform the second fold: Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll it away from and towards yourself until it is about 20 inches long. Fold the top and bottom edges of the dough over so they meet in the center. Wrap dough and refrigerate until chilled and firm, 1 hour. Repeat this two-fold process twice more, refrigerating after every 2 folds, for a total of 6 single folds. The final dough will be approximately 9-by-9 inches (23-by-23cm) after sealing the final fold.

9. 9

   Wrap dough with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. (Dough will oxidize slightly after 24 hours; this won't affect its flavor, but your dough will have a greyish hue.)

10. 10

    Use puff pastry as desired (see notes for more on how thin to roll out the puff pastry before use).

Nutrition

calories

153 kcal

fatContent

10 g

fiberContent

0 g

sugarContent

1 g

sodiumContent

163 mg

proteinContent

2 g

cholesterolContent

27 mg

carbohydrateContent

13 g

saturatedFatContent

6 g

unsaturatedFatContent

0 g

Indicative values from the source, for the original recipe.

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