Puff Pastry

mersaydees's Note:

This recipe is based on one from Clarissa Dickson Wright’s and Jennifer Paterson’s book, Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies. It will keep for 3-6 months in the freezer. I recommend reading this recipe all the way through before making it. Prep time doesn’t include the 30 minutes or more chilling intervals.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 2 hrs
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 puff pa ...

• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb unsalted butter (4 sticks)
• 1 1/4 cups ice water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, sift in the flour and salt. Rub in 6 tablespoons of the butter. Adding the lemon juice and as much ice water as necessary, bind to a fairly soft dough and knead lightly. Roll out to a 12-inch square.
2. Form the remaining butter into an oblong block. It should be soft yet firm. Place on one half of the pastry square and fold the pastry over to enclose it, sealing the edges with a rolling pin. Rib the top by pressing the rolling pin across it at intervals.
3. Turn the pastry so that the fold is to the right. Roll out into a strip three times as long as it is wide. Evenly fold the bottom third upward and the top third downward. Seal the edges, place in a plastic bag, and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Repeat this process five more times, always keeping the fold on the right. Before the final rolling, chill overnight or for at least 1 hour.
5. The pastry is ready for use after the final rolling.