Puff Pastry
Puff pastry is a type of traditional French pastry which is made by repeatedly folding a dough around a block of butter. When the pastry cooks, steam trapped inside the dough separates the folded layers, creating a puffy, flaky finished product.
Ingredients
250 g cake flour
2 ml salt
12,5 ml lard
125 ml iced water mixed with 10 ml brandy
250 g butter, chilled and grated
Method
Sift flour and salt together twice, then rub in lard with fingertips.
Using a knife, cut iced water mixed with brandy into flour.
Knead dough lightly on a floured surface until smooth and elastic and small bubbles form on surface. Work lightly and quickly to keep dough cold.
Roll dough out to 5-10 mm thick. Place the butter (straight from the fridge) in the middle of the dough. Fold dough over from corners, envelope fashion.
Roll out dough and repeat twice more. Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill in refrigerator before use.
Tips
All ingredients must be kept as cold as possible.
If dough becomes too sticky, refrigerate it for minutes.
Take care not to scorch pastry, as it will taste bitter.
Bake at 230-260°C — reduce temperature to 200°C after 5-10 minutes.
Category: Baking
Cuisine: Global