Puff pastry is best known in the creation of croissants. It could be considered a kitchen staple in some parts of the world, and you can use it in my three sausage roll recipes as well as a multitude of other dishes. This is the beginner's version of puff pastry, and it's also a recipe that is much more likely to perform well than the more technically advanced traditional stuff.
As with the more technical version, the key to this recipe is working with the coldest butter. No kneading allowed! Make sure you have a light touch.
Rough Puff Pastry
Yield: 1 sheet of rough puff pastry
Time: 30 minutes + overnight
Ingredients:
3 sticks (452g) of unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups of flour + more for shaping and dusting
1/3 cup of milk
1/3 cup of ice water
a pinch of salt
Tools:
Box Grater
Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cup
Fork or Pastry Cutter
Plastic Wrap
Method:
Freeze the butter overnight.
Using a box grater and clean but cold hands, grate the butter into your mixing bowl.
Carefully bring the butter, flour, and salt together using a fork or pastry cutter.
Add the milk and ice water slowly and work them into the mix.
If the pastry has not yet come together, add ice water by the tablespoonful until it forms a cohesive doughlike texture.
Once the milk and water are fully incorporated, turn the pastry out onto a clean, dusted surface and form into a rough rectangle, about a half inch in thickness.
Fold the rectangle in on itself to create a one inch thickness.
Wrap the rough puff in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least a half hour.
Roll out the pastry on a clean, dusted surface to about three times its current length.
Fold the pastry like a brochure so that it once again forms an inch thick rectangle.
Turn your pastry so that it looks diamond-shaped and roll it out again to about three times its current length.
Fold it on itself twice once again so that it forms another one inch thick rectanglular shape.
Repeat steps 9 through 12 one more time.
Refrigerate this pastry for another half hour.
If you do not plan to use the pastry within the next 24 hours, freeze the pastry in two parts, but be sure to freeze it before rolling it out to use it in your next recipe.
Looking for something to make with this puff pastry? Look no further; my world-famous sausage roll recipes are right here!
