Description
Flaky pastry dough emerges as a culinary masterpiece from French baking traditions. Delicate layers melt in your mouth, promising elegant desserts and savory delights that will make palates dance with delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 lb (454 g, 4 sticks) unsalted butter
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 6 oz (177 ml) ice-cold water
- 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Flour Preparation: Blend all-purpose flour and salt in a spacious mixing bowl. Methodically incorporate cold unsalted butter, crushing and flattening with fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse, grainy cornmeal-like texture.
- Moisture Integration: Introduce ice-cold water gradually, gently mixing with a wooden utensil. Maintain a rough, uneven consistency without overworking. Use palms to break down moisture pockets and smooth uneven areas, ensuring minimal manipulation.
- Fraisage Technique: Push dough against bowl’s edges using knuckles to distribute butter evenly, creating potential for delicate, layered pastry. Fold dough over itself multiple times to capture loose, dry ingredients from the bowl’s bottom, enhancing structural complexity.
- Shaping and Chilling: Form dough into a compact circular disk. Monitor temperature carefully; if warmth develops, pause and refrigerate briefly to maintain optimal butter consistency. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll into a precise rectangular shape.
- Layering Process: Execute the classic book-fold technique by folding shorter edges toward the center, overlapping them. Rotate dough 90 degrees and repeat the folding process to create additional intricate layers, enhancing the pastry’s potential flakiness and structural integrity.
- Final Preparation: Assess dough’s temperature and chill if necessary. Wrap in plastic membrane and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to stabilize. The prepared dough can be stored refrigerated for up to seven days or frozen for one month, providing flexibility for future culinary endeavors.
Notes
- Chill Butter Strategically: Keep butter extremely cold to ensure maximum flakiness and prevent greasy pastry texture.
- Handle Dough Minimally: Avoid overworking mixture to maintain delicate, tender layers that create signature pastry crumble.
- Monitor Temperature Closely: Warm dough compromises butter distribution, so pause and refrigerate if ingredients feel too soft.
- Master Fraisage Technique: Push dough against bowl edges using knuckles to distribute butter evenly and create potential for ultra-light, crispy layers.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10
- Calories: 1430
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 109 g
- Saturated Fat: 69 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 40 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 116 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg