How To Make Perfect Puff Pastry Dough By Hand

Example Timing Chart:

• 10:00am: Make the dough and the butter block and refrigerate.
• 10:35am: Encase the butter in the dough, roll and letter-fold, turn 90 degrees and

repeat the roll and letter fold. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Two folds done)

• 11:15am: Repeat two more folds, returning the dough to the fridge when necessary.

Refrigerate for 30 more minutes. (Four folds done)

• 11:55am: Perform two more folds, returning the dough to the fridge when

  necessary. (Six folds done)

• 12:30pm: Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for 1-3 days. Use it in whatever recipe calls for puff pastry…maybe beef wellington. (wink,wink)

1. In a large bowl, whisk the salt and flour until well combined. Slowly stream in the cold water and combine with a fork. Knead the dough until everything is thoroughly incorporated and the flour is hydrated.
2. Place the dough in the center of a large piece of wax paper. Fold the four sides of paper over the dough, creating a 7x7 in square. Flip the dough package over and using a rolling pin, flatten the dough so that it fills the square evenly. Place the wax paper-wrapped dough in the fridge.
3. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and pile the cold butter cubes. Sprinkle a small amount of flour over the butter. Gently beat it together with the rolling pin to create a solid mass. Using a bench scraper, fold the butter onto itself and repeat the process until it is malleable and smooth, dusting lightly with flour when needed to help prevent sticking. 
4. Place the butter block onto a sheet of wax paper and fold up the sides to create a 4x4 in square. Flip the butter package over and flatten it with the rolling pin so that it fills the square evenly. Place the wax paper-wrapped butter into the fridge and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the wax paper from the chilled dough. Lightly dust a clean work surface and the rolling pin with flour and roll out the corners of the dough to elongate it. 
6. Remove the wax paper from the butter block and position it over the dough, at a diagonal. Each butter block corner should be positioned between two corners of the dough.
7. To encase the butter in the dough, bring all four corners of the dough to the center. Gently pinch the edges of the dough together to seal the butter inside, pressing out any trapped air.
8. Lightly dust the work surface again and place the dough, seam side down. Roll out the dough into a 12x6 in rectangle, dusting with flour as needed. 
9. Fold the top of the rectangle a third of the way down and then fold the bottom up and over, which will overlap the top fold. 
10. Flip the dough over and rotate it 90 degrees and roll it again into a 12x6 in rectangle. Perform the same folding technique. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 
11. Perform two more folds, and let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Take it out and perform two more folds again, for a total of 6 folds (see Timing Chart above) Note:  If at any point during the rolling process the dough does not stretch but springs back, return it to the fridge to allow the gluten to rest.
12. Let the dough rest for 1 hour. It is then ready to use for any recipe that calls for puff pastry.