Classic Puff Pastry

As a chef specialized in refined and delicious cuisine, I am thrilled to share with you the magic behind the classic puff pastry. This iconic pastry consists of multiple layers of buttery dough that rise beautifully in the oven, creating a flaky and puffy result that is simply irresistible. The classic puff pastry has 5 or 6 single turns, and has about 729 layers of folded dough. These layers of butter make the dough rise in the oven during baking. The butter turns into steam and pushes up the layers of dough, thus creating a puff. The secret to achieving the perfect puff pastry lies in the quality of butter you use. For the best results, I recommend using European style butter. This type of butter has a higher butterfat percentage (82-86 percent) and less water content compared to regular butter, resulting in a richer flavor, softer texture, and faster melt-ability. If you've always wanted to master the art of making a classic puff pastry, you're in the right place.

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Secret for making perfect puff pastry

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Dough/Détrempe

In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix water, salt, melted butter and flours on low speed until homogenized. The dough should remain firm (Do not overwork). Form a tight ball, and make a cross mark with a knife, wrap up and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.

Butter Block

A block of fat is called a roll-in (Beurre de tourage). Flatten softened butter between 2 sheets of parchment. Square off block by folding sides into a 8.5-inch/22cm square. Flip it and press down fat with the rolling pin toward corners, smooth out and chill.

Lock-In

The lock in is the first fold and step that introduce the roll-in (Lamination fat). Leave butter block out for about 15 minutes. It should remain cool and pliable; its temperature should be at 60ºF/15ºC. Flour countertop and roll out dough into a square; larger than butter block. Place butter in the center of the dough. It should look like an envelope. Fold leaps over butter and enclose it. Tap with rolling pin to seal.

Laminating / Folding

The dough must be rolled out evenly and the corners kept square throughout the lock-in and all subsequent folds to ensure proper layering. Roll out dough into 9.5x24-inch/24x60cm rectangle, and brush off any excess flour. Three-fold: divide the sheet visually into third, and fold one of the outer thirds of the dough over the middle third of the pastry. Fold the remaining outer third in the dough over the folded dough. This fold triples the number of layers in the dough each time. Give another single turn and chill for 2 hours to rest. Repeat this step once; wrap up and chill for 2 more hours. Perform the fifth and last single turn, and chill overnight.

Storage

Divide laminated dough into 2 or 4 equal portions; wrap up and chill until ready to use. Roll out puff pastry into 0.16''/4mm sheet and proceed to recipe. Puff pastry sheets can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or kept frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw pastry in the refrigerator overnight before using. Flour your work surface and dough, and readjust puff pastry sheet thickness, prick pastry with a fork if needed – Chill again to rest before cutting into desired shapes. A useful tip to prevent dough from shrinking while baking is to moisturize your silicone baking mat, or parchment paper with water.
Duck Pithivier