Put that store-bought, ready-made, frozen puff pastry down! I have a better idea. Let’s make homemade, rough puff pastry. It’s buttery, flaky, and puffs up nicely. Best of all, it’s easy to make. You just need to be brave, and have the proper equipment.
I got this recipe from Edd Kimber’s Patisserie Made Simple. The dough starts in a food processor before it’s rolled out and folded on a flat surface, very much like how I make pie dough (you can see that video here). Start by pulsing together flour, salt, and very cold butter. Then add ice-cold water and pulse until the pastry resembles breadcrumbs.
Don’t be afraid of that crumbly mess. Just push it together until it looks like this.
Now, wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once it’s been chilled it’s time to roll out and fold up. This process helps flatten and distribute the fat (butter) throughout the pastry.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to a rough 13 inch by 6 inch rectangle.
Gently fold the top half onto half of the dough. You may need a dough scraper for assistance to peel the dough off of the counter.
With a pastry brush, brush the excess flour off of the folded side.
Fold the bottom half over the top half just like a letter (a form of communication used back in the olden days).
Brush off the excess flour, and repeat the entire rolling and folding process two more times. Each time will make the pastry less rough looking and more manageable. If at any time the dough seems to get too warm just refrigerate for about 30 minutes before rolling and folding again.
When you’re finished wrap the pastry in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. After that it’s ready to use. It will keep in the fridge for 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 weeks.
- 1 and ¾ cup (226 g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp. Salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 g) Unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into ¼ inch pieces
- 1/3 cup plus 3 TBS Ice-Cold Water
- In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Pour in 1/3 cup of the cold water and pulse until it resembles bread crumbs. If the mixture seems a little dry then keep adding the water (a tablespoon at a time). The mixture is ready when it sticks together when pinched.
- Dump the crumbly dough onto a counter lined with plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around the dough and push it all together to create a rough disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to a rough 13-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Fold the top half over so that its end meets in the middle of the dough, and then brush off the excess flour. Fold the bottom half over the top half (like folding a letter) and brush off the excess flour. Turn the “letter” so that it will open up on your right side. Roll the dough out again to a 13-inch by 6-inch rectangle, and fold again just like before, and finally turn the dough again so that it opens up on your right. Repeat this rolling and folding process one more time (it’s three times in total). Once you’ve finished the rolling and folding wrap and chill the dough for 1 hour. It is now ready to use. It will also keep in the refrigerator for 3 days, or in the freezer for 2 weeks.
- Food processor
- Rolling pin
- Plastic wrap
- Ruler
- Pastry brush
