(Photography: Tim Roberts, Styling: Michele Cranston)
Homemade puff pastry is simpler to create than you may think! It’s a fun baking project that rewards a little patience with delicious, flaky results. The simple process of folding and chilling gradually builds layers of light, delicate and buttery pastry. Once you’ve made a batch, it becomes the base for endless options, from savoury pies and pastries to elegant sweet treats.
Ingredients
Method
Place flour and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds to combine. Add butter and pulse three or four times, until the butter has broken up but is still in small pieces. Add vinegar and water and pulse until the mixture just comes together, adding extra water if needed.
Transfer to a clean bench and bring together with your hands. Flatten into a rectangle. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until just chilled.
On a lightly floured bench, roll dough into a 20cm x 40cm rectangle. With one short side in front of you, fold dough into thirds, like a letter; fold the bottom third up over the middle third and the top third down to cover the bottom third. Wrap loosely again and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Rotate dough 90 degrees from its previous orientation. Repeat rolling and folding as before. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then repeat turning, rolling and folding once more. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
How to freeze puff pastry
Rough puff pastry freezes beautifully. Wrap it in baking paper, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before use.
What to do if your kitchen is warm
If your kitchen is warm, keep the dough in the fridge for an extra 15 minutes between folds to ensure the butter doesn’t melt. Melted butter disappears into the dough instead of creating the desired steam and lift.
In the fold
To letter fold, place pastry on a bench. Fold over a third of the pastry to overlap, then fold the remaining third on top.
