Puff Pastry1 (Detrempe)

1

 Making puff pastry at home is adventure as the control of temperature is crucial in order to keep the butter inside without escape, meaning it takes time to make. You can buy the commercial one, however, you will find out a lot more flavour, and understand better how it works in the oven.

 You will need :

 For Detrempe (water dough)
 250g plain flour / 250g strong flour / 12g salt / 150g melted butter / 100g water / 25ml white wine vinegar

and Beurrage (butter block)

2

     (1) Mix well sifted flour, salt. Then add cold butter cut in small cubes in. Break down the butter to sand texture with finder tips.
Make a well in the centre, then pour all liquid. Gradually draw the flour into liquid. Incorporate well, but do not knead. No worry it looks saggy and sticky normally. Then knead the dough a bit to make round bowl.

    (2) I did FRENCH WAY, but you can do English, or rough way. Mark the cross on top of the dough, and roll out each sides. The centre should be thicker than wings.

3

4

       (3,4) When it becomes big enough to wrap the beurrage, place the chilled   beurrage in the middle,   overwrap each wings in turn to cover the butter completely.   Make sure cover very well even the each corners.
   Rest in the fridge for 30 min.

   

5

6

    (5.6) Take out the dough, folded side up, press down all over the dough with a rolling pin to widen up the butter and dough equally. Then roll out back and forth gently as keeping the rectangle shape.
   When it becomes double size, brush the excess flour, and fold in third like photo 6.
   Now you've done the first turn. To remember, mark with a rolling pin like photo 7.(one for rolling, one for folding)
   Wrap it, and rest the dough for more than one hour until butter sets.

7

8

   (7,8) Folded side up, and place open side on your left, repeat the rolling process again.
  Same as before, make sure keep the rectangle shape. Like you can see, try to roll out in 1-1.5cm.
  Mark with a rolling pin as the second turn.
  Wrap it, and chill it around 3 hours.

  Repeat another the 3rd turn one more time. So you've done total 3 turns.

9

10

   (9,10) Divide the dough in 4. Can you see the layers? It's more than 700 layers! (will explain the theory on the other post soon.)
  You can freeze each block itself, or I prefer, rolling out to ready-to-use first, and then freeze. If you want to roll out before freezing, roll out to 3mm and trim all edges like photo 10. You will find out it will be much convenient when you need.