Mock Puff Pastry Dough Made So Easy Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Cut the cold butter into 1/4-inch slices and add to the flour mixture, tossing to coat.
• Stir in the cold water until a thick dough forms.
• Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk-shape, and wrap in plastic wrap.
• Chill for 1 hour in the fridge, or 20 to 30 minutes in the freezer.
• Unwrap the dough, dust the work surface with flour, and roll the dough into a rough rectangle shape.
• Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter.
• Turn 90 degrees, roll and fold again.
• Repeat about 2 to 4 times, wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours or overnight.*

QUICKEST PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Cut 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter into 1/2 to 1/4-inch dice, place on a plate and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.Measure water and add salt; stir to dissolve and set aside.
• Coarsely dice remaining 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter. Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; add 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is absorbed -- about ten to twelve 1-second pulses.
• Add remaining butter and pulse once or twice to distribute. Add water and pulse 3 or 4 times, just until dough forms a rough ball. Do not over-process.
• Flour work surface and scrape dough from work bowl. Shape dough into a rough rectangle and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make a 12 by 18 inch rectangle of dough.
• Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough to floured work surface. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold dough in thirds in the width, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, to make a 6 by 18-inch rectangle, then roll up the dough from one of the 6-inch ends, making sure to roll end under dough. Press the dough into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

CLASSICAL PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process few seconds to combine. Cut 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of the butter into small pieces and process with the flour until there are no lumps and the mixture is the texture of cornmeal.
• Pour half the ice water in a large bowl and turn the flour mixture onto it. Sprinkle the remaining water over it, reserving one tablespoon. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, drizzle the ice water evenly over it and toss like a salad until the dough comes together in a ragged mass. Add the remaining water if necessary. Cover in plastic wrap and chill.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining butter between layers of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin to make malleable. Place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and, using your hands or a rolling pin, shape it into a 6-inch square.
• Remove the dough from the fridge, lightly flour the work surface and, using either your hands or a rolling pin, shape the mass into 12-inch square. Place the butter on the dough catty-corner and fold the edges of the dough into the center to enclose it.
• Lightly flour the surface of the dough and roll it into a rectangle measuring about 12 inches high x 26 inches wide. If the dough sticks, loosen it underneath with a long flexible metal palette knife and scrape off any butter sticking to the work surface. Brush off any excess flour. Fold the dough into thirds and turn it 90 degrees, so that seams are parallel to the table's edge. This is called a "turn". Lightly flour and roll it out again to about 12 x 26 inches. Brush off the excess flour and again fold it into thirds. Place the dough on a sheet tray, cover it with a plastic bag and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Repeat this, giving the dough two more turns, each time rolling it out to 12 x 26 inches. Refrigerate for another 20 or 30 minutes, then give the dough 2 final turns. There are six turns in all.
• Lightly roll it to flatten and even it. Wrap it in plastic wrap or a bag and chill for at least two hours before using it. It can be kept, refrigerated, for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
• To roll pastry: (for home size 11 x 17-inch sheet trays)
• For thinly rolled dough (1/16-inch) used to make little pizzas start with 15 ounces (1/3 of the recipe). For thickly rolled dough (3/8-inch) used for everything else, start with 22 ounces (1/2 recipe).
• Line an 11 x 17-inch sheet tray with parchment paper. On a floured table, roll the rectangle of dough to a length of 15 inches and a width of 10 inches. Dust off any excess flour. Roll the dough up onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the sheet tray. Using a 10-inch rolling pin and rolling gently from the center out, roll the dough to fit the tray. Make sure it is even - with no lumpy edges. Rolling lightly and gently enables you to keep it even.
• Shapes to cut out of the 3/8-inch thick dough:
• Bouchee: Cut 2 (3-1/2-inch) rounds of dough. Cut a 2-1/4-inch circle out of the second round. Egg wash the first round. Place the ring from the second round over the first so that the edges line up. Dock the edges and center with a fork. Thin inner circle can be baked as well and used for a lid.
• Bouchee made from special cutter: Use and cutter made especially for this purpose. It has two cutting edges - one inside and shorter than the other that scores, rather than cuts the dough.
• Criss-cross Tartlet: Cut a 5-inch square. Fold it into a triangle and cut from each edge towards the apex, stopping about 1/2-inch short of the apex. The cut should be about 1/2-inch from the edge. Open it up to the square and place on a cookie sheet. Egg wash the edges. Bring one point over to the opposite corner of the inner square and press. Bring the opposite point over and press. Press along the rim to seal. Dock rim and center.
• Puff Strip: From a sheet tray of frozen dough, cut a rectangular piece 8" wide and the length of the sheet tray. Transfer it to a paper lined cookie sheet. Using a pizza wheel, cut a 3/4" strip from each edge. Egg wash the edges of the center piece and flip the cut strips onto the egg washed edge. Dock the 2 rims with a fork, then dock down the center.
• Vol-au-Vent: Similar to above, but round. Press whatever size round you want into the dough on the sheet tray. Lift and cut along the circular impression with a pizza wheel. Center another round, and inch or so smaller in diameter than the first over the circle of dough and press lightly. Remove and cut along this line. Egg was the edge, as above, and cut through the outer rim in one place. Place the rim over the center circle, lining up the edges. Dock the rim with a fork, then dock the center. Bake 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated 425 degree F. oven.

MOCK PUFF PASTRY DOUGH (MADE SO EASY!)

Steps:

• Using a food processor, pulse butter into flour until it resembles crumbs. pulse in sour cream just until a ball forms and it just begins to hold together, being careful not to over-mix.
• Roll out and fold over in three sections (like folding a business letter). Repeat 2-3 times to get the layers of puff pastry.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes before using. Let sit for a few minutes or pound with rolling pin to get it pliable.

ROUGH PUFF PASTRY DOUGH

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.

ROUGH PUFF PASTRY

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.

SHORTCUT PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Whisk sugar, salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour in a large bowl to combine. Grate 1/2 cup butter on the large holes of a box grater directly into bowl (work quickly so the butter doesn't soften too much in your hands). Thinly slice remaining 3/4 cup butter and add to bowl. Toss to coat butter, then quickly smash slices with your fingers into smaller, flatter pieces. Gradually drizzle in 7 Tbsp. ice water, tossing constantly with a fork to distribute. Using your hands, knead dough a couple of times in bowl to bring together in large clumps. Transfer clumps to a piece of plastic wrap, leaving dry bits behind. Toss dry bits in bowl, drizzling in more ice water by the teaspoonful as needed, until they hold together when squeezed in your hand (it will be very dry, which is normal). Add to dough on plastic and wrap tightly, forming into a 6" square. Flatten, pushing dough into corners and pressing out any air pockets. Chill 2 hours.
• Let dough sit at room temperature about 4 minutes to soften. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a long rectangle about 1/4" thick. Fold into thirds like a letter and rotate 90°F. Repeat rolling and folding process, dusting with more flour as needed. Rewrap tightly and chill at least 30 minutes before using.
• Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.