How to make Puff pastry recipe

Learn how to make puff pastry recipe from scratch, it' s really easy to make and much better than the commercial one! This classic recipe has a very light and crispy flakiness in taste, it is perfect for all your sweet and savory recipes!

Puff pastry is a basic recipe widely used in sweet and savory recipes. It's made using a folding technique known as "Tourage" in France (lamination), which consists in alternating layers of dough and butter by folding, which gives a very crispy and flaky layers texture after cooking.

There are several methods of preparation including this classic method where you put the cold butter into the flour paste, but also a version of inverted puff pastry where it is the dough that is wrapped by the butter or the easy version ready in 10 minutes also knows as rough puff pastry where all ingredients are mixed together roughly in a food processor.

Unlike leavened puff pastry with yeast which is used to make croissants or pains au chocolat, this basic recipe is more used to make apple turnovers, the galette des rois or as the base of a tart as in my puff pastry apple tart recipe, which can also be made with pears or strawberries.

Particularities of this dough

As opposed to recipes such as shortcrust pastry dough or pie crust, it is much more technical and requires a lot of time to prepare. This makes it quite intimidating for beginners..

In reality it is very simple to make and the differences with the commercial one are incredible! The dough is even crispier and above all it is much lighter and easier to digest.

Folding methods:

To make a good flaky it is necessary to follow a technique of folding which consists in alternating the dough (distemper) and the fat (dry butter) by carrying out successive foldings, we say that we make turns.

To make a classic homemade puff pastry recipe you need 6 turns.

Two methods are used to fold the dough: the single turn or the double turn:

1. Single turn: This is the simplest folding, the dough is rolled out in a large rectangle then folded in 3 and counts for 1 turn.
2. Double turn: This is the so-called wallet fold, the dough is rolled out into a large rectangle, then folded into 4 and counts for 1.5 turns.

You can follow one of these 2 methods to turn your dough:

Method 1 : do 2 x 1 doubles turn + 1 single turn and finish with 1 single turn ( 1,5 + 1 + 1,5 + 1 + 1 = 6)

Method 2 : do 3 x 1 single turn + 1 single turn (1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 6)

Between each series of turns the dough must sit for a minimum of time in the fridge otherwise after too much manipulation the butter will soften and the flaky texture will disappear.

How to make puff pastry recipe

Dough :

1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook and knead for 3-5 minutes until you have a soft dough.
2. Form the dough into a ball.
3. Incise crosswise with a knife, then wrap it in plastic and place in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Tip: Make it in large quantities, it keeps very well in the freezer.

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Stir the butter into the dough:

1. Roll out the dough into a square with a rolling pin on a floured work surface.
2. Place the butter in the center (see picture), the dough should be a little larger than the size of the butter.
3. Fold the corners over the butter to cover it completely.

Tip: Make the dough with brown butter for a good taste of roasted hazelnuts.

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How to do a simple turn.

1. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle at least 30-40 cm long.
2. Fold in 3, fold the top edge first and then cover with the bottom edge (see picture).

Tip: Let the dough sit for 30 minutes in the freezer between rounds to save time in preparation.

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How to make a double turn

1. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a length of about 40 cm.
2. Fold in 4, first folding the top edge over ¼ of the length of the dough.
3. Fold over the remaining ¾ without covering the top edge.
4. Finish by folding the whole again in 2.

Tip: Always turn the dough a quarter to the right before turning again. The opening should always be on the side.

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Conservation

• In the fridge: it will keep for about 2-3 days after the dough starts to darken.
• In the freezer: well wrapped in cling film you can keep it for several months.

FAQS - Frequently asked questions

How to bake successfully your puff pastry dough

The key to successful baking and to prevent the butter from coming out and to keep the flakiness is that the dough must be cold and rest before using it.

Once you have completed the rolling and folding steps, if the dough is not too soft then immediately roll it out on a sheet of parchment paper to a thickness of 3-5 mm and place it in the refrigerator or freezer for about 15 minutes. (it should have a firm enough texture at the limit of freezing)

Then cut into the desired shape with cutters or use it to wrap as in the baked brie recipe.

Then let it rest again in a cool place while the oven preheats to at least 355°F / 180°C and bake for as long as necessary until the dough is golden brown and crispy.

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