If there’s anything I’m loving right now, it’s this recipe for simple puff pastry. Puff pastry is one of those things that feels like it should be really hard to make, but to my delight… It’s actually really not. Those beautiful, fluffy pastry layers can be made at home, by you, without too much stress or bother.
What is Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry is a buttery, crispy, rich pastry with tons of little layers, often used to make a variety of different pastries such as turnovers, tarts, or pot pies. It’s very similar to croissant dough in the way it is made, except that it is not leavened; rather, it puffs up by the high heat of the oven forcing the layers of butter and fat to separate.
My best tip for making great pastry
In my opinion, there is one main secret to making this easily: A marble rolling pin. You can make it without, of course, but if the dough gets warm at all, you will need to pause and stick it in the fridge to harden up before you keep working (which can be stressful). Why? Because cold butter is key to making those beautiful layers.
Marble rolling pins are heavy enough to do some of the work for you, and when you chill the rolling pin in advance, it will keep the dough and the butter cold while you work. That fact alone makes it possible to whip out this recipe in one go, without rests in between. The last time I made this, my puff pastry was done in 15 minutes, start to finish (all because of the rolling pin). I’m a huge fan!
Some of the (many) ways to use this pastry:
This recipe is great for making turnovers, cherry pastries, eccles cakes, baked brie, etc. I have it written out below as “A full batch” or “A half batch” because I like to make two sheets of pastry at a time. My reason for that is that it takes about the same amount of time to double the recipe, and you can freeze the dough which is really nice and convenient.
Note: Most of the recipes I post on this blog will call for 1/2 batch amount of this pastry.
Simple Puff Pastry
Here's the "Cheater's" version of the oh-so-delicious, flaky puff pastry that makes so many of our favourite desserts. This recipe makes about 2kg of pastry.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 420g
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups cold unsalted butter = 16oz or 454g
- 1-1/2* cup cold water *Add gradually; might not need all of it (375mL)
FOR 1/2 BATCH (1kg):
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 210g
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter = 8oz or 252g
- 3/4* cup cold water *Add gradually; might not need all of it (187mL)
Instructions
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until you have roughly large 1" chunks.
-
Pour in most of the water, reserving about 1/4 cup. Stir together gently with a fork, blending the dry flour into the water, keeping the large chunks of butter are preserved in the dough. The mixture should come together into a rough, soft dough, without too much dry flour sitting on the bottom of the bowl. If there is still a lot of dry flour, you can add the rest of the water, and continue working it in gently until the flour from the bottom of the bowl is completely (or almost completely) incorporated into the dough.
-
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, and pat into a rectangle shape. Lightly flour the surface of the dough, and roll into an 11"x15" rectangle, or 9"x13" for a 1/2 batch (about 1/4-inch thick either way).
-
Fold the rectangle into thirds, like an envelope. Flour the work surface again to prevent the pastry from sticking, rotate the dough 90 degrees, and roll the dough into a large rectangle a second time.
-
Tip: Each time you roll out the dough, keep a piece of paper handy with a pen. Make a little tick mark on the sheet every time you roll it out into a large rectangle; this step should be repeated 4 times, and writing it down will help you keep track of where you are in the process.
-
Repeat as before; fold the dough into thirds, then roll it out a third time. Flour the work surface, rotate the dough, and roll it out a fourth time, this time a little longer in length than before.
-
If you are making a full recipe, cut the large rectangle in 1/2 with a sharp knife to make 2 sections. Fold each section into thirds, as you did the large piece, and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Refrigerate or freeze until using. (For 1/2 batch, just fold the whole thing into thirds and then wrap with plastic and store.
-
Allow the dough to chill at least 20 minutes before using.
-
Tip: If the butter seems to be melting while you work, take a break! It's very important that the butter stay cold while you are working with it, so allow the dough to chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before continuing to roll it out.
My best advice to avoid this problem is to use a chilled marble rolling pin (see recipe notes).
Recipe Notes
- A marble rolling pin is, in my opinion, an essential for making pastry dough or croissant dough. For puff pastry, danishes and croissants in particular, it is essential that the thin layers of butter created in the dough stay cold while you work; which becomes simple when your rolling pin is cold as well!
- This dough can be made and frozen ahead of time. Thaw completely before using, but make sure the dough is cold while you work with it.
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
Step 6:
Step 7:
So rewarding! If you make this, make sure to tag me on Facebook @naomicakes or Instagram @naomicakesofficial so that I can see your beautiful work!
Thanks for stopping in – I’ll be back soon!
–Naomi
Used in this Recipe:
This post contains affiliate links.
