How to Make Homemade Puff Pastry for Your Next Sweet Treat
If you're a fan of sweet treats, making homemade puff pastry is a must-try! Puff pastry is a light and flaky pastry that is perfect for creating desserts like cream horns, palmiers, tart shells, and turnovers. In this post, we will show you how to make homemade puff pastry that's easy to follow and perfect for your next sweet treat.
Ingredients
For the homemade puff pastry, you only need a few basic ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup ice water
Steps for Making Homemade Puff Pastry
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter to the bowl and toss to coat with flour mixture, then use your fingers to flatten each butter piece until it's about the size of a nickel.
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Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is moistened and comes together when squeezed. Don't overwork the dough - it's okay if it looks a bit shaggy.
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On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, then turn it 90 degrees and roll it out again into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Fold the pastry into thirds again, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll it into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick again. Fold the dough into thirds one more time and return it to the fridge for another 30 minutes.
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Repeat step four three more times for a total of four turns. Refrigerate the pastry for at least 30 minutes before using.
Final Thoughts
Making homemade puff pastry may seem intimidating, but with a little patience and practice, you can make beautiful, flaky pastry that's perfect for sweet treats. Be sure to use the best quality butter you can get your hands on, as it will greatly affect the final product. Once you've mastered this technique, you can experiment with different sweet and savory fillings to make an endless variety of delicious pastries.
Happy baking!
