I started my third batch of puff paste (pastry) according to the Joy of Cooking, and I’m seeing such good results I thought I should make some notes about it. This is the best recipe I’ve found so far, much easier to understand than Ferrandi’s versions.

Basic Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2lb butter
  • 1/2lb flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • approx 4 oz chilled water
  • [2 tsp lemon juice]

Directions

Equal parts butter and flour by weight (ie 114g). Start by forming the butter into an oblong, and set that to chill in the fridge. Mix the flour and salt and form into trough on counter. Slowly mix in the chilled water and form into a slightly moist smooth ball, about 2mins quick kneading. Form into a rectangle and chill 15min or so. Make the pastry packet of dough wrapped around butter. Then do the 6 turns. Roll out into big square (3/16 in thick) and chill again before cutting, chill again after cutting if it takes too long.

Tips

  • I’ve experimented with different wrapping methods while chilling the dough, plastic wrap does leave the outside a bit moist, but that is preferable to the dough drying out, especially if not working on 20min cycles.
  • If chilled overnight, make sure to allow a few minutes for the dough to rise slightly in temp or it may crack, especially in the first couple of turns.
  • A hot knife is crucial for cutting and leaving the edge layers open.
  • Prefer a moist dough to a too dry one, but if too moist you end up using a lot of flour each time you roll it out for folding.
  • I got concerned about the math of the size of the rectangle, 3 times long as it is wide makes a nice square when folded that keeps me nicely consistent(ish) in size
  • Twisty pieces take much longer to bake