PASTRIES & VARIATIONS: Making good puff pastry is one of the most difficult techniques to master in pastry making. Nowadays, they are hardly made at home, as commercial puff pastries sold in supermarkets are good enough for convenience. But being able to make it at home is still very satisfying.

BASIC PUFF PASTRY:

 

 

 

2 cups all  purpose flour + 4-5 tbsp. extra flour                                  

8 oz butter, slightly softened

             

1 oz shortening                                               

¾ tsp. salt

½--3/4 cup ice water + ½ egg beaten into it + a few drops of yellow colouring ****

 

 

 

 

Put softened butter on a plate and work the 4 extra tablespoons of flour into it by  kneading gently with the hand to incorporate and distribute it. Mould butter into a flat 3-inch square “package”. Dust butter well with more flour and wrap it in wax paper. Refrigerate.

 

Put flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour, using a pastry cutter, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water mixture gradually into flour, mixing and working it into soft dough. Knead dough a couple of times and form it into a ball. Cut a cross on the top of ball to allow it to relax while resting. Cover dough with an inverted bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

 

On a well-floured work surface, roll out the dough so that it resembles a 4-leaf clover shape, with centre being thicker than the corners.  Put “package” of butter in the center and bring the 4 corners of the dough into the middle to overlap over the butter.

 

Step 1--Turn 1 and 2:  Roll dough out into a 9 x 6-inch rectangle. Fold top third of dough over the middle and the bottom 3^rd to cover the top. Turn the pastry a ¼ turn. Roll dough out to 9 x 6-inch rectangle again and repeat folding top and bottom thirds over the middle. Wrap in wax paper and rest in fridge for 30 minutes.

 

Step 2--Turn 3 & 4:  Take dough out of fridge and roll out to 9 x 6-inch rectangle. Fold dough like before and give it a ¼ turn. Roll out and fold again. Wrap dough up and rest in refrigerator 30 minutes.

 

Step 3--Turn 5 & 6:  Work dough in the same way as in Step 2. Wrap dough well and let rest at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

 

After the last resting period, the pastry is ready for use in recipes. If it is not to be used right away, roll the pastry out to fit an 8 x 12-inch jelly-roll pan. Wrap pastry well with wax paper and plastic wrap then sit dough inside the baking pan to keep its shape while being frozen. When dough becomes frozen, remove baking tray and store dough in a large sealable plastic bag.

 

Being protected in this way, pastry can be stored in freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost dough in fridge before using.

 

 

 

 

**** Amount of water needed to make a soft pliable dough depends on the flour used, and the humidity or dryness of the kitchen****