Pastry - Puff Pastry

There is nothing like fresh Puff Pastry - even though it takes all afternoon of rolling, turning, resting etc. -by the end you have French Pastry Heaven -ready to bake the crispiest, delicate, buttery pastry you have ever eaten.

Preparation time: All Afternoon!!!   Quantity: Makes 1lb mix  

Ingredients

500g /16 oz plain flour
125g/ 5 oz butter -softened
pinch salt
180-200g water
Plus extra -375g/ 15 oz butter -softened

Method

  • Sift the flour
  • Rub in the 1st fat
  • Add the salt and water to form a dough
  • Rest 10 minutes
  • Roll on a floured surface, in to a rough cross shape
  • Place the softened butter in the middle, fold over the 4 cross sides -to enclose in the butter
  • Gently roll on a floured surface to make a rectangle 2/3 inch thick
  • The idea is to keep the butter between the layers of pastry, if it splits DIY some pastry over to cover it
  • Fold over one end 2/3 way over, then the other end the other 1/3 over
  • Rest 10 minutes in the fridge-covered in cling film
  • Roll the rectangle again and then fold over
  • Rest and repeat the rolling again
  • So you’ve rolled, folded and rested 3 times
  • Rest the pastry till needed