Puff pastry.

This pastry is all about air and getting layers of air in-between the pastry to make it light and fluffy. You can just get from a shop easy ready to roll puff pastry and there is nothing wrong with that, in fact I would argue that you price that you pay to get some in would cost you less than it would to make your own if you take out the labour involved .But to know how to make it is important and a thing that you can always do when the shop has ran out.

What you are trying to do is get layer of fat and water between the pastry that will melt produce steam and that will create the layer in the pastry. Also, you will note that this pastry has a lot more water than you would have in a short crust pastry recipe as well.


Puff pastry.
225g or 8oz plain flour
A pinch of salt (only if your butter is not salted)
30g to 1 oz of lard.
120 to 150ml or 4 to 5 fl oz very cold water.
140 to 200g 0r 5 to 7 oz of butter.

Now personally I have always found that making puff pastry is easier and by far a better way than making ruff puff pastry. Now that goes against all the logical norms but it is true for me. You start with the flour sifting in to a blow as normal add the lard and rub them together. Then add the water until they bind together and knead them with your hands until you just start to get a smooth texture. Do not over work this dough or you will have started to go wrong. Remember light and quick as you can. Then rap this and place into the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Then you take out the pastry and roll it out on a floured board into a rectangle about 30 to 40 cm to 10 to 15 cm or 12 by 6 inches. Shape the butter with a rolling pin and not your hand as you will start to melt it. You are looking for a small rectangular shape that will fit into the middle of your rolled out pastry but one that is not to big as you need to cover it with the pastry to make a envelope. Place the butter on to the pastry and fold both ends over to cover it. Then press down on the edge facing you to prevent the butter from escaping turn and repeat on the other side. What you should have now is a parcel of butter rapped in pastry. Carefully and quickly using short sharp rolls to start then a little longer harder one roll the pastry parcel out till it is about three times as big again. Ten from one end take about one third of the pastry and fold it back on its self. The from the other end fold the other third back over on the other two thirds so you end up with a square. Fold it as evenly as you can so that you build up the layer evenly in the pastry. Turn the pastry and tap the edges so that the butter cannot escape then roll and repeat once more. After that, you rap it and place it in a cool place. Do not unless you have to place it in the fridge it will become too much like hard work. If you do place it in the fridge do it for about 15 to 20 minuets and bring it out about 10 minuets before you roll it once more.

Now you must roll it in to a rectangle again and then fold in to a square, turn it roll in to a rectangle then fold back in to a square then place it back to rest once more before doing this for the last time. You need to turn and roll about six times altogether to get a good result. A pastry that is rolled and turned six times will have about 729 layer .I found this hard to believe but if you take 1 multiply by 3 give you 3 , 3 by 3 gives you 9, 9 by 3 gives 27 and so on . So it is the turning and the rolling that take the time. But if you know you are going to be using puff pastry make it a day in advance and you will have very little to worry about.

Both of the pastries will need to be rested before you use them so roll and then cut them to what you want and then rest before baking.