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Easy puff pastry is a shortcut method for making your own pastry at home. This recipe involves folding of the dough and no laminating of the layers involved. The results are amazing and you can use in all your favorite recipes calling for puff pastry.
I love puff pastry. It makes the most amazing desserts, appetizers, and pastries. But I have never loved the idea of all the steps involved in making homemade puff pastry – until now with this easy puff pastry!
Traditional puff pastry dough consists of a dough layer and a butter layer. You laminate the two together and then fold them in just such a way to create the many layers the pastry is known for.
Puff pastry is one of those recipes I kept moving to the bottom of my list to make. One day, is what I kept telling myself.
Then I found a recipe for a quick and easy puff pastry in a Williams Sonoma cookbook and thought I’d give it a try. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical at first. The results were amazing and the process really was easy!
I used to buy frozen puff pastry from the store. When I wanted to make Baked Brie with Cranberries, I would reach into the freezer, pull out a package and whip up this delicious appetizer.
Now, I can make this quick and easy puff pastry. Did I already tell you that this can be made ahead of time and frozen! Yep!!! No need to buy a box of frozen puff pastry from the store anymore. I can make it at home and then stock my freezer full to use anytime I want.
Some of the recipes I use this pastry in include Chicken Pot Pie, Puff Pastry Pinwheels, Cranberry Jalapeno Bites, and Puff Pastry Cheese Straws.
A few tips
- Cut butter into small cubes. Keep butter chilled until just before using. I cubed my butter and then put it back into the refrigerator until I needed it.
- If you house is hot, chill flour before using.
- Use ice cold water.
- When rolling out dough, try to keep in a rectangular shape. You can reshape ends with your hands or a bench scraper.
- Always fold your dough the same direction.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in a zip top bag.
- Chill for at least 4 hours before using.
- Dough may be frozen for up to 3 months.
- If frozen, remove from dough at least two hours prior to using or thaw in refrigerator overnight.
- Use in any recipe calling for puff pastry.
- This dough will be a bit more difficult to roll out than store bought dough. It contains all butter. If the dough is too firm after the 4 hour chilling, let the dough rest for 5 minutes on the counter. As the dough warms, it will become easier to roll. As dough continues to warm, it will become sticky. Just pop back into the refrigerator for a few minutes until the butter firms up.
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Easy Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (cut into small cubes)
- 1/2 cup water (ice cold)
Instructions
- Place flour and salt into bowl of a stand mixer. Combine together.
- Add butter. Mix together with the paddle attachment. Mix until mixture is coarse and butter is smeared with the flour.
- Add ice water. Mix just until the ingredients come together. Mixture will still be crumbly.
- Dump mixture onto counter. Lightly knead together until dough forms a ball.
- Lightly flour surface and rolling pin. Roll dough out into a rectangle approximately 8 x 12 inches. Keep edges straight. If edges become rough, just straighten back by pushing edges back towards center. Reapply flour to counter and rolling pin as needed.
- Give dough a quarter of a turn so long side is facing you. Beginning on the left side, fold dough over 2/3 of the way, like folding a letter. Fold right side all the way over the dough.
- Repeat rolling and folding two more times.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place dough in a zip top bag. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using.
- Use in any recipe calling for puff pastry.
- Dough may be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw for at least two hours prior to using. May also be thawed in fridge overnight.
Video
Notes
A few tips
- Cut butter into small cubes. Keep butter chilled until just before using. I cubed my butter and then put it back into the refrigerator until I needed it.
- If you house is hot, chill flour before using.
- Use ice cold water.
- When rolling out dough, try to keep in a rectangular shape. You can reshape ends with your hands or a bench scraper.
- Always fold your dough the same direction.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in a zip top bag.
- Chill for at least 4 hours before using.
- Dough may be frozen for up to 3 months.
- If frozen, remove from dough at least two hours prior to using or thaw in refrigerator overnight.
- Use in any recipe calling for puff pastry.
- This dough will be a bit more difficult to roll out than store bought dough. It contains all butter. If the dough is too firm after the 4 hour chilling, let the dough rest for 5 minutes on the counter. As the dough warms, it will become easier to roll. As dough continues to warm, it will become sticky. Just pop back into the refrigerator for a few minutes until the butter firms up.
Nutrition
Recipe Adapted from Essentials of Baking
37 Comments
Amanda
January 18, 2020 at 11:49 amHi,
Just wondering if this recipe is considered 1 pastry sheet or two? Looks like a great recipe and am excited to try it!
Kathy
January 18, 2020 at 4:00 pmHi Amanda,
This makes two sheets of pastry.