Rough Puff Pastry Recipes

Steps:

• Sift together flour and salt into a chilled large metal bowl. Set a grater in flour mixture and coarsely grate frozen butter into flour, gently lifting flour and tossing to coat butter.
• Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
• Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has the proper texture, it will hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add another tablespoon water, stirring until just incorporated and testing again. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• Gather mixture together and form into a 5-inch square, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 30 minutes. (Dough will be lumpy and streaky.)
• Roll out dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 15- by- 8-inch rectangle. Arrange dough with a short side nearest you, then fold dough into thirds like a letter: bottom third up and top third down over dough. Rewrap dough and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Arrange dough with a short side nearest you on a floured surface and repeat rolling out, folding, and chilling 2 more times. Brush off any excess flour, then wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• Mound flour in center of a large work surface, and make a well in the middle; place butter and salt in well.
• Using your fingertips, mix ingredients together in the well. Using the fingertips of your other hand, slowly incorporate flour, beginning with inner rim of well. When cubes of butter have become small pieces and dough is grainy, gradually add ice water until fully incorporated, taking care not to overwork the dough. Roll dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold the short ends over the middle (like a letter) to make three layers. This is called the first turn.
• Give the dough a quarter turn and roll away from you into another 16-by-8-inch rectangle. Fold again into 3 layers; this is called the second turn. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Repeat process in steps 3 and 4 to create the third and fourth turns. Wrap dough in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days, before using. Dough may also be kept, frozen, for up to 4 months.

Steps:

• Sift 250g strong plain flour and 1 tsp fine sea salt into a large bowl. Roughly break 250g butter into small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.
• Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of 150ml cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed.
• Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 mins in the fridge.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle.
• Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don't overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.
• Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length.
• Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.

Steps:

• Sift fry ingredients together into a large, chilled mixing bowl. Add cold butter and lard pieces, and working quickly, rub flour and fat together until the texture of coarse meal. If you prefer, you can use a pastry blender or knives. You may also use a mixer or food processor, but take great care not to overmix or overprocess.
• Add 4 Tbsp icy cold water and quickly blend into flour mixture.
• Gather all the dough and crumbs up into a ball. If it is too crumbly and will not hold together, add up to 2 Tbsp more icy cold water, 1 tsp at a time, until it holds together.
• Lightly dust pastry with flour, wrap in wax paper, and chill for 30 minutes.
• Place pastry on lightly floured board and gently press into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Dust flour underneath and on top of pastry. Roll out into a rectangle about 21x6 inches. Fold into thirds to form a three-layer rectangle about x6 inches.
• Turn pastry 1/4 turn, dusting underneath with flour if needed. Roll out again into a 21x6 inch rectangle, and again fold into thirds.
• Repeat two more times, turning a quarter turn before rolling out each time and ending with the pastry folded into a 7x6 inch packet.
• Wrap tightly in wax paper, foil, or a freezer bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3-4 days.