Here is a recipe for making pastry with crispy layers, such as puff pastry:
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (320g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into small cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, helps to tenderize the dough)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Add the cold water and lemon juice (if using) and mix until the dough begins to come together. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should be shaggy but should hold together when you press it.
- Chill the Dough:
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rough rectangle.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Laminate the Dough:
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a long rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Fold the dough into thirds, like a business letter. This is called a “single fold.”
- Rotate the dough 90 degrees, roll it out again into a long rectangle, and fold it into thirds once more.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Repeat the Folding Process:
- Repeat the rolling, folding, and chilling process (steps 3 and 4) two more times, for a total of four folds.
- Each time you roll and fold, the dough becomes more layered and flakier.
- Final Chill:
- After the final fold, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using it in your recipe.
- Using the Dough:
- When ready to use, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to your desired thickness.
- Use it to make pastries, pies, tarts, or any other recipe that calls for puff pastry.
Tips for Success:
- Keep everything as cold as possible. Cold butter creates steam pockets in the dough, which results in flaky layers.
- Handle the dough gently to avoid overworking it, which can make the pastry tough.
- Chill the dough thoroughly between folds to keep the butter firm and help the layers form.
Enjoy your crispy, flaky pastry!