Puff pastry has become so firmly embedded in our culinary culture that not only a festive feast, but also daily meals cannot do without it. Pleasant to work with, quick to bake, puff pastry is available in every freezer, fortunately – today there are no problems with the purchase of ready-made frozen puff pastry. We suggest remembering how to make puff pastry with your own hands, taking your time and having fun.
Self-made puff pastry can be frozen in portions, so it makes sense to immediately make a large portion of the dough. There are not so many tricks for making the dough airy and light. The products used for cooking should have a temperature of no higher than 20 degrees, if water is used, then ideally ice cold. It is necessary to roll out puff pastry in one direction so as not to damage the structure of the bubbles. Bake puff pastry products (or cakes) on a baking sheet greased with cold water or floured.
Puff pastry is unleavened
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour of the highest grade – 1 kg.
- Butter – 0,5 kg.
- Water – 1 tbsp.
- Salt – 1 tsp.
Sift flour on a flat surface, add salt and 50 gr. butter, chop into crumbs with a knife and pour in cold water little by little, kneading the dough. Knead the dough well so that it becomes elastic. Roll out into a 1,5 cm thick rectangle on a floured surface. Put butter in the middle of the layer, giving it the shape of a square 1-1,5 cm high. Fold the layer of dough so that the butter is covered. To do this, mentally divide the dough into three parts, first cover the middle with one edge, and the second on top. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes.
Carefully roll the dough along the narrow side into a rectangle and fold in three, roll out and fold again in the same way, then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat the procedure two more times. The finished dough can be used immediately or frozen in portions.
Homemade puff pastry
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour of the highest grade – 3 tbsp.
- Egg – 1 pcs.
- Butter – 200 gr.
- Water – 2/3 tbsp.
- Vinegar 3% – 3 tsp
- Vodka – 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt – 1/4 tsp.
Mix egg, water, salt and vodka, add vinegar and mix well. Gradually adding the sifted flour, knead the dough, knead it thoroughly on a flat surface and put it in the refrigerator, wrapping it with cling film for 1 hour. Roll out the dough into a rectangular layer, divide the butter into 4 parts and grease the middle of the dough with one of the parts using a wide knife or pastry spatula. Collapse the layer, covering the middle with one edge, then the other. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Repeat rolling and greasing the dough three times, putting it in the refrigerator each time. When all the butter has been consumed, roll out the dough in a thin layer, roll it in half, roll it out again, roll it in half and repeat 3-4 times. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then you can use the puff pastry for baking or send it to the freezer.
Yeast puff pastry
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour of the highest grade – 0,5 kg.
- Milk – 1 tbsp.
- Butter – 300 gr.
- Dry yeast – 5 gr.
- Sugar – 70 gr.
- Salt – 1 tsp.
Sift flour into a deep bowl, add yeast, salt and sugar, pour in milk at room temperature and knead the dough. Stir it well for 5-8 minutes, cover and leave for 2 hours to increase in volume. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, spread the middle part with butter (use all the butter at once), fold the edges of the dough in the middle. Roll out the layer, fold it in three and put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Repeat the procedure of rolling out the dough three times, put it in the refrigerator for the last time for several hours, or overnight. The finished dough can be baked or frozen for future use.
Homemade yeast puff pastry
Ingredients:
- Wheat flour of the highest grade – 0,5 kg.
- Water – 1 tbsp.
- Butter – 350 gr.
- Egg – 3 pcs.
- Pressed yeast – 20 gr.
- Sugar – 80 gr.
- Salt – 1/2 tsp.
Mix yeast with water and sugar, sift flour, add salt and pour in the yeast that has come up, knead a soft dough, cover and leave to rise for 1,5 hours. Roll out the dough into a rectangular layer, spread the butter in the middle with a wide knife. Fold the edges of the dough in the middle, roll out again and fold in the same way. Refrigerate for 29 minutes. Take out the dough, roll it out, fold it in three and roll it out again, then fold it, send it to the refrigerator. Repeat the manipulation three times. Use the prepared dough for baking sweet desserts or snacks.
Look for unusual ideas and solutions how else you can make puff pastry in our “Recipes” section.