Easy "Rough" Homemade Puff Pastry

Step 1

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Step 2

Use a box grater to grate your butter into the flour mixture, briefly tossing the butter each time you’ve shredded about ½ stick so that it doesn’t clump together.

Step 3

Once you’ve grated all of your butter, stir briefly with a wooden spoon so butter is not clumping together and all is coated in flour.

Step 4

While stirring (by hand with a wooden spoon -- do not use an electric mixer or over-mix this recipe) slowly drizzle ice water into the flour/butter mixture. Add just enough ice water so that if you pinch the dough it will hold its shape and not fall apart (see photos in post, the dough will otherwise be quite shaggy). If the mixture is still dry and crumbly and not sticking to itself when pressed after you have added 8 Tablespoons, add additional water one tablespoon at a time. Take care to not overwork the dough or it will be tough.

Step 5

Once the dough is clinging together when pinched, it will still be quite shaggy. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and work the dough together with your palms to make dough cling together. Work (with your palm) into a 6x3” rectangle (it will almost look like a brick!).

Step 6

Wrap dough thoroughly with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Step 7

Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and roll into an 8x12” rectangle.

Step 8

Fold dough into thirds (like you are folding a letter, see photos in post or see video below for visual for each step), rotate 90 degrees, and then roll dough into an 8x12” rectangle again.

Step 9

Fold into thirds again, and repeat this process of folding and rolling until you have done four turns of your dough.

Step 10

Wrap dough well with plastic wrap and return to refrigerator to chill for at least another 30 minutes before using as directed in your recipe.

Step 11

This puff pastry recipe makes the equivalent of two sheets of store-bought puff pastry. To use, divide into two, roll into a ⅛” thick rectangle, and use as indicated in your recipe.