Good quality ready-made puff pastry is available fresh and frozen, so use this for convenience if you prefer. Two 13 ounce packs would be roughly equivalent to this homemade quantity.
ingredients
makes 1 pound quantity
1 pound bread flour, plus extra to dust
pinch of salt
1 pound butter, chilled
1 tbsp lemon juice
method
1. Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. Cut off 1/4 cup of the butter and flatten the remaining large block with a rolling pin to a slab, about 3/4 inch thick; set aside.
2. Cut the 1/4 cup butter into small pieces and rub into the flour, using your fingertips.
3. Using a round-bladed knife, stir in the lemon juice and enough chilled water to make a soft elastic dough; you will need about 1/2 pint.
4. Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and quickly knead the dough until smooth. Cut a cross through half of the depth, then open out to form a star.
5. Roll out, keeping the centre four times as thick as the flaps. Put the slab of butter in the centre of the dough. Fold the flaps over the dough, envelope-style.
6. Press gently with a rolling pin and roll out to a rectangle, measuring 16 x 8 inches.
7. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down, keeping the edges straight. Wrap in Saran wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
8. Put the pastry on a lightly floured surface with the folded edges to the sides. Repeat the rolling, folding, resting and turning sequence five times.
9. Shape the puff pastry as required, then rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes before baking.
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