Puff Pastry Dough
Croissants, Savory Pies, Kringles and More
PREP: 4Hrs || REST: 12hrs
Dough
4 Cups Flour
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
2/3 Cup Cold water
2/3 Cup Cold Milk
4 Tbsps Unsalted Butter (cut in cubes)(no need to be cold)
Butter Block
2 Sticks and 2 Tbsps Unsalted Butter
Mix the Dough
In a stand mixer combine and mix together all of the dry ingredients
Pour in the milk and sugar, and beat the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes
Add the butter to the dough and beat for an additional 5 minutes, scrapping down the sides of the bowl if necessary
Cut an X into the top of the dough to encourage rising and place in a bowl to rise for 2hrs
Cover the rising bowl with a moist cloth and try to place the bowl by a heater or radiator to encourage rising
Check the dough after an hour, if the cloth covering the bowl has dried out, re-dampen the cloth and cover the bowl again (keeping the dough moist is key)
When the dough has risen for 2hrs, place it in the fridge for 20mins or so, before rolling it
Prep Butter Block
While the dough is rising cut the remaining butter into pads, approximately a 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut a piece of Parchment paper about 22in in length and hold in half
On one half lay out a grid of the butter pads about 8x8inches
Fold the remaining parchment paper over the top of the butter, and fold each of the three open sides again to seal the butter into an envelope
Using a flat object or a rolling pin, pound the butter pads into a single square block of butter
Place in the fridge for at least 30mins before folding in with the dough
Fold and Fold and Fold
On a lightly floured surface roll your dough out to a rectangle as best you can about 16in by 8in (chilled dough will be a bit tough initially)
Place the butter square in the center of the dough, and fold the dough flaps on either side to the center sealing the butter inside entirely with dough
Roll the dough again to a 16x8in rectangle and fold it like a book. By this, each side will meet in the middle of the dough, and then close the book, or fold the dough one again
Gently press the dough together and then chill it for 30mins in the fridge
After the dough has had time to chill, roll it out again as best you can to the 16x8in rectangle and this time fold it in thirds
The dough can then be rolled again to a 16x8in approximate rectangle, and wrapped in plastic wrap to chill overnight for next day usage, or frozen for future usage!