Making puff pastry, which involves rolling and folding layers of dough and butter, is actually very easy to do. It is however, time-consuming as the pastry needs to be chilled well between rolling. The great thing is that you can make it and keep it in the fridge or freeze it successfully.
Makes 400g
Ingredients
225g flour
salt
170g cold butter, cut into 1-2cm cubes
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Method
1. Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Cut the diced butter into the flour with a knife and add the lemon juice with enough cold water (about 150ml) to bind the flour into a rough dough.
3. Turn out on to a floured surface and lightly shape into a rectangle. Do not knead.
4. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, about 3 times as long as it is wide. Fold up one third and then fold the other third over it is so you are left with a triple-layered block of dough.
5. With a rolling pin, lightly press down on each edge so that the pastry is sealed. Give the pastry a half-turn clockwise.
6. Using short, sharp strokes, roll out the dough so that it returns to its previous length. Then refold it as described above and wrap in greaseproof paper.
7. Place in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes and repeat the exercise, turning, rolling and folding twice every 30 minutes until you can no longer see large flecks of butter in the dough.
8. At this stage it is ready to use or freeze.
9. If freezing, cut into two equal portions and wrap in cling-film.
