
Rough Puff Pastry
7h 30m
Puff pastry is classically difficult for the novice baker, but this simplified recipe developed through the years yields exquisite results while also being very easy for anyone to execute.
I developed this recipe during years of making puff pastry for menus in service. I wanted to create a recipe with less steps and with results that were just as perfect as a standard puff pastry recipe.
Add 340 g of all-purpose flour and 5 g of salt to a container. Mix to combine
Cut 285 g of unsalted butter into medium cubes
Toss the butter in the all-purpose flour until well coated
Place in the freezer for 30m to freeze it
Add 1 cup of ice cubes and 230 ml of water to a container with a spout. Stir to chill completely
Place half of the butter mixture in a food processor and pulse 5-10 times until the butter ranges from pea-sized to marble-sized. Do not over process. Remove and repeat with the other half
Transfer to a large mixing bowl
Gradually add 150 ml of water, straining the ice. Quickly toss the dough in between each addition, until it's mixed but crumbles easily
Place ¼ of the crumbled dough over a large sheet of cling film
Wrap the dough with the cling film, pressing down to remove the air. Repeat three times with the remaining dough
Roll the dough, flattening it into a ½ in thick square. If there is air built up, poke a small hole to release it
Place the dough in the refrigerator, unstacked, for 30m to firm
Unwrap the dough and stack them on a floured work-surface. Dust the top with more all-purpose flour
Press lightly with your hands, then roll out with a rolling pin, occasionally turning the dough
Flip the dough and roll it into a 3 cm thick square, occasionally turning it
Fold the dough in each direction to mark it, then cut it along the lines
Stack the quarters and wrap them in cling film
Roll out the wrapped dough into a 3 cm thick square. Poke a small hole to release any air
Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30m to firm
Place the dough on floured surface
Roll out the dough into a ¼ inch thick rectangle
Fold the dough into thirds
Double wrap the dough in cling film
Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30m to firm
Place the dough on a floured surface. Dust the top with more all-purpose flour
Roll out the dough into a ¼ inch thick rectangle
Fold the dough into thirds
Double wrap the dough in cling film and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2h to rest and chill. Ideally, it should be refrigerated overnight
Place the dough on a floured surface and roll it out into a ⅛ inch thick rectangle. Fold it into thirds
Roll out the dough into a ⅛ inch thick rectangle
Trim the edges to get a straight rectangle
Cut the dough in the desired size or shape. Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30m until cold and firm
Preheat the oven to 180 °C
Brush the dough with egg yolk
Score the dough with the tip of a knife
Bake for 15m until puffed and golden brown. The rough puff pastry is ready
Use it in any recipe calling for puff pastry. Enjoy!
Yield 800 g
All-Purpose Flour
340 gUnsalted Butter
285 gIce Cube
1 cupSalt
5 gWater
230 mlEgg Yolk
to brushAll-Purpose Flour
to dust
Equipment
Kitchen Scale
Food Processor
Rolling Pin
Cling Film