PUFF PASTRY:
Flour 900 gms.
Water 450 ml.
Salt 15 gms.
Lemon 1 no.
Butter 1000 gms.
Flour 100 gms.
PUFF PASTRY:
Puff Pastry or Blatterteig, as it was called by the bakers of Germany where this pastry is said to have originated, is made by alternately rolling and folding of fat into a previously made dough. The result after the series of rolling and folding stages is a sheet of dough with alternating layers of dough and fat.
There are several types of puff pastry such as “Full”, “three-quarters” and “Half”. These terms either denote the proportion of the butter in relation to the flour or the proportion of butter in relation to the weight of the dough. Sometimes puff pastry given only three turns instead of six is also referred to as “Half Pastry”. There are three main methods used to make puff pastry and they are “English Method”, “French Method” and “Scotch Method”. These methods differ only in the initial method of incorporation of the fat.
Pastry fat is a product specially manufactured for puff pastry production. It is produced from oils/fats, which have high melting points enabling kitchen staff handling facility at various working temperatures, its malleability and stability being important characteristics.
Butter on the other hand produces a product of superior eating quality but lacks the handling qualities of pastry fat. Consequently, when utilizing butter in recipes careful manipulation and adequate storage/resting in cool conditions are essential. The recommended butter for puff pastry production is one of a waxy texture used in conjunction with a softer pastry dough.
Strong flour with a high gluten potential is recommended to produce an elastic and resilient pastry dough. Such a preparation needs to withstand the ‘extensive handling’ required to build-up the laminated structure of puff pastry. Furthermore, the high gluten content formed will facilitate ‘lift and stability’. Any acid content in the recipe will increase the extensibility of the gluten.
Water content acts to bind the dry ingredients, provide moisture vapor development within the gluten and to assist starch gelatinization during the cooking process.
PUFF PASTRY I (English Method):
Strong Flour 2000 gms
Butter 250 gms
Cold Water 1250 gms
Lemon Juice 1 No.
Butter 1750 gms
Method:
250 gms of butter is rubbed into the flour.
A bay is made into which the water and lemon juice are poured.
The dough is then mixed and well developed and then allowed to rest while the butter is moulded into a plastic mass.
The dough is rolled to a long rectangle, taking care to keep the edges straight and the corners square.
The butter is then broken into small pieces and placed to cover two thirds of the surface of the dough. The pieces should not be placed too near the edge.
The third of the dough without butter is brought up and the top third brought down, so that there are three layers of dough and two of butter.
The pastry is then rolled out again and folded into three.
It is given six such turns, with a rest of about 20 minutes between each turn.
During rest periods, the pastry must be covered to prevent the formation of a skin on the surface.
PUFF PASTRY II (French Method):
The recipe is the same as that of the English method, but in this case the dough is rolled to a square shape with the corners thinner than the centre. The butter is formed into a square that will fit into the centre of the dough. The corners are then brought to the centre so that the butter is totally enclosed with the same thickness of dough around the butter. It is given six turns in exactly the same way as for the English method, giving a rest between each two turns.
PUFF PASTRY III (Scotch Method):
This is the quickest way of making puff pastry and is also known as “Blitz Method” and hence the pastry as Blitz Pastry. The recipe remains the same. The butter is broken into walnut sized pieces, which are then distributed throughout the flour. A bay is made into which the water and lemon are placed. This is then made into a dough, taking care that the lumps of butter are not rubbed into the dough. Then it is made in the same way as the English or French method.
Flour 900 gms.
Water 450 ml.
Salt 15 gms.
Lemon 1 no.
Butter 1000 gms.
Flour 100 gms.
PUFF PASTRY:
Puff Pastry or Blatterteig, as it was called by the bakers of Germany where this pastry is said to have originated, is made by alternately rolling and folding of fat into a previously made dough. The result after the series of rolling and folding stages is a sheet of dough with alternating layers of dough and fat.
There are several types of puff pastry such as “Full”, “three-quarters” and “Half”. These terms either denote the proportion of the butter in relation to the flour or the proportion of butter in relation to the weight of the dough. Sometimes puff pastry given only three turns instead of six is also referred to as “Half Pastry”. There are three main methods used to make puff pastry and they are “English Method”, “French Method” and “Scotch Method”. These methods differ only in the initial method of incorporation of the fat.
Pastry fat is a product specially manufactured for puff pastry production. It is produced from oils/fats, which have high melting points enabling kitchen staff handling facility at various working temperatures, its malleability and stability being important characteristics.
Butter on the other hand produces a product of superior eating quality but lacks the handling qualities of pastry fat. Consequently, when utilizing butter in recipes careful manipulation and adequate storage/resting in cool conditions are essential. The recommended butter for puff pastry production is one of a waxy texture used in conjunction with a softer pastry dough.
Strong flour with a high gluten potential is recommended to produce an elastic and resilient pastry dough. Such a preparation needs to withstand the ‘extensive handling’ required to build-up the laminated structure of puff pastry. Furthermore, the high gluten content formed will facilitate ‘lift and stability’. Any acid content in the recipe will increase the extensibility of the gluten.
Water content acts to bind the dry ingredients, provide moisture vapor development within the gluten and to assist starch gelatinization during the cooking process.
PUFF PASTRY I (English Method):
Strong Flour 2000 gms
Butter 250 gms
Cold Water 1250 gms
Lemon Juice 1 No.
Butter 1750 gms
Method:
250 gms of butter is rubbed into the flour.
A bay is made into which the water and lemon juice are poured.
The dough is then mixed and well developed and then allowed to rest while the butter is moulded into a plastic mass.
The dough is rolled to a long rectangle, taking care to keep the edges straight and the corners square.
The butter is then broken into small pieces and placed to cover two thirds of the surface of the dough. The pieces should not be placed too near the edge.
The third of the dough without butter is brought up and the top third brought down, so that there are three layers of dough and two of butter.
The pastry is then rolled out again and folded into three.
It is given six such turns, with a rest of about 20 minutes between each turn.
During rest periods, the pastry must be covered to prevent the formation of a skin on the surface.
PUFF PASTRY II (French Method):
The recipe is the same as that of the English method, but in this case the dough is rolled to a square shape with the corners thinner than the centre. The butter is formed into a square that will fit into the centre of the dough. The corners are then brought to the centre so that the butter is totally enclosed with the same thickness of dough around the butter. It is given six turns in exactly the same way as for the English method, giving a rest between each two turns.
PUFF PASTRY III (Scotch Method):
This is the quickest way of making puff pastry and is also known as “Blitz Method” and hence the pastry as Blitz Pastry. The recipe remains the same. The butter is broken into walnut sized pieces, which are then distributed throughout the flour. A bay is made into which the water and lemon are placed. This is then made into a dough, taking care that the lumps of butter are not rubbed into the dough. Then it is made in the same way as the English or French method.
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