Pate Feuilletee (Puff Pastry)

I know that you can buy it frozen and lots of people are quite happy with it. But it is not that hard to make and there really is a BIG difference between the homemade product and the frozen stuff. And it takes a long time but it isn't hard--so do it on a day when you'll be home anyway. You won't be sorry.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Yields: 1 1/2 pounds

Ingredients

• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 24  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened until pliable

Directions

1. Mix the melted butter with 1 cup of cold water.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and water-butter mixture just enough to bind the ingredients together in a dough.
3. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
4. Knead the remaining butter until it is truly pliable.
5. Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface.
6. Flour it slightly and roll it out into a ten inch square.
7. Spread the kneaded butter over the dough to form a 7" x 7" diamond in the center of the square of dough.
8. Fold the corners of the dought into the center of the square so that the butter is now enclosed in a square envelope of dough.
9. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for thirty minutes.
10. Next remove the dough to the floured surface, laying it down fold side down. Flour slightly and roll the dough GENTLY (you don't want the butter squirting out) into a rectangle that is 8" x 20".
11. Brush off any excess flour and fold the top one third to the center; then fold the bottom third over the top.
12. Give the dough a quarter turn clockwise; roll it out again and fold it again and refrigerate for thirty minutes.
13. Repeat the rolling, folding procedure two more times, chilling the dough in between each time.
14. Your puff paste is now ready for use or can be divided and wrapped carefully in plastic and frozen.