Seriously Flaky Rough Puff Pastry
Super crisp & flaky, this is similar to puff pastry but much quicker & easier to make!
Servings: 12 People
Equipment
- Box Grater
- Rolling Pin
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 250 g Plain Flour
- 250 g Unsalted Butter
- 125 g Ice Cold Water
- 1/2 tsp Table Salt
Instructions
- Cut the block of butter into two equal pieces. Refrigerated one half & freeze the other*.*The butter needs to completely frozen. This will take a least a couple of hours. I like to do this step the night before.
- Next, place the plain flour & salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Cut the refrigerated piece of butter in half lengthways then slice thinly. Add to the mixing bowl & stir so that each individual slice of butter is coated in flour.Add in enough water to form a rough dough (start with 100g then add in more if required), being careful not too overwork the dough. Transfer to a clean worksurface & knead until all of the flour has been incorporated. Flatten slightly then wrap tightly in cling film & leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Whilst the dough is chilling, using a box grater, grate the frozen butter into a container then put back in the freezer until needed.
- Next, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough into a large rectangle, measuring around 35cm x 20cm & 0.5cm thick.
- Dust off any excess flour then sprinkle half of the frozen butter onto the bottom 2 thirds of the dough.Fold the third with no butter on over the middle third then fold the remaining third over the top. Turn the dough 90 degrees clockwise then roll out into a rectangle (again measuring 35cm x 20cm x 0.5cm).Sprinkle the remaining frozen, grated butter over the bottom 2 thirds of dough & repeat the above folding process.
- Lightly press a finger into one of the pastry's corners to signify how the dough was positioned on the work surface before going in the fridge.Wrap the dough tightly in clingfilm then leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.*Make sure to keep a note of which corner you left the indent in.
- After half an hour, unwrap the dough (save the clingfilm for when the dough goes back in the fridge) & place on the work surface with the indent at the same position as before.
- Turn the dough 90 degrees clockwise & repeat the rolling & folding process twice more (this time without adding butter). Remember to turn the dough 90 degrees clockwise before rolling out.Wrap the dough in clingfilm & refrigerate for a further 30 minutes. (Make sure to leave an indent in the same position as before.)
- Repeat the rolling, folding & turning process twice more for the final two turns. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight before using.
Notes
Rough puff pastry can be used for many dishes, including tarts, pies, sausage rolls & Eccles cakes. In most cases, it will take around 20 minutes to bake at 180°c/355°f.
It is important that the pastry has been chilled for long enough before rolling. A couple of hours is fine but overnight is best.
The key to flaky pastry is keeping everything cold.
The water should be ice cold & the grated butter kept frozen. The night before you make the pastry, cut the block of butter in half widthways. Put one half in the freezer & the other in the fridge. The pastry will need between 100g - 125g of water to come together. I recommend starting with 100g then adding in the extra 25g if required.
The water should be ice cold & the grated butter kept frozen. The night before you make the pastry, cut the block of butter in half widthways. Put one half in the freezer & the other in the fridge. The pastry will need between 100g - 125g of water to come together. I recommend starting with 100g then adding in the extra 25g if required.