Puff Pastry (Pâte Feuilletée)

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Ingredients:

14 ounces flour

1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

2 ounces unsalted butter, cold, diced

6 ounces ice water

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Beurrage

1 pound unsalted butter, cool

2.5 ounces flour

Preparation:

Step 1 - Detrempe (just the dough) - In a work bowl of food processor, combine flour, salt and butter with 5 to 7 pulses until it resembles fine meal.  Pour into bowl then add water and juice and toss with a fork until dough just barely comes together.  Turn out onto a work surface and gently knead until it looks smooth.  Form a ball, wrap and refrigerate for an hour. 

Step 2 - Prepare butter beurrage.  Draw an 6 inch square on one half of a full sheet of parchment paper, then flip paper over so ink doesn't come in contact with butter.  Sprinkle half the flour over the square.  Cut the butter into 1 1/2 inch thick pieces and arrange overlapping on the floured square.  Sprinkle flour over the butter and fold parchment paper in half to enclose the butter.  Beat the butter with a rolling pin until evenly filling the square and butter is cool but malleable, about 60 degrees.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Step 3 - Laminate Dough and Butter.  On a floured work surface, cut an x on the ball, stopping 1 inch from the bottom.  Open out each corner and roll to 12 inch square.  Unwrap butter square and place diagonally in center of dough - flat butter edges facing corners.  Fold each corner up and over butter block.  Press dough together firmly to completely seal in butter without air pockets.  Tap with rolling pin to seal well and flatten dough to about 1 inch thick.

Flour work surface, and rolling from the center away from you but never over the edges, roll to a 10 inch by 12 inch rectangle.  Roll in long, continuous strokes, passing over the entire surface of dough each time.  Turn dough with 12 inch side facing you and fold into thirds like a business letter.  Roll over the entire surface of the letter to lock it in place.  This is the first turn.  Make 1 indentation on the dough and wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Repeat rolling and folding 5 more times for a total of 6 turns.  Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze for up to 2 months.

Dough is now ready to be rolled into mini palmier, pie crusts, sausage pockets, bouchée, etc.  Be sure to roll dough out to 1/8 to 1/16 inch thick. 

Bake at 400 degrees convection until puffed and brown - about 30 minutes for sausage pockets or similar pastry.

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History:

Recipe comes from Chef Tech Cooking School's Pro Baking, Classical French, series of classes.