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“The Magical”
Puff Pastry Dough

The puff pastry, also known as “thousand sheets”, is a dough formed by thin layers of dough and fat. When this dough is cooked in the oven it becomes into piece of big size and of uniform aspect. The incredible thing about the puff pastry dough is that although it doesn’t have yeast, when it is baked it starts growing and growing forming several layers.

This happens to be illogical or even magical... unfortunately magic doesn’t exist only tricks and the trick lies in the preparation. The puff pastry dough is prepared in dough layers with butter. Therefore when the puff pastry dough goes into the oven, the butter melts creating steam and making the dough grow into layers of crispy consistency.

The puff pastry dough is basic in the Mexican cuisine because it gives origin to countless pieces of bread, both sweet and salty. And that’s not all because many desserts can also be prepared with this dough.

*It is a fact that it is more comfortable to buy the puff pastry dough already made. However if you want to gain flavor and quality, there is nothing better than preparing your own puff pastry dough.

About the Recipe

• To be honest this dough is very difficult to make. It is possible that the first time that you prepare it... the result can be improved. Keep trying until you get a great result.
• We recommend reading the preparation steps several times because they may seem confusing. When you become familiar with them start preparing the recipe.
• In this recipe strong flour is required, it is a type of flour that is prepared with durum wheat and a high content of gluten. In this way the dough acquires more capacity to absorb liquids and it has more resistance when it is stretched.
• It is very important that the kitchen environment is cold, otherwise the result tends not to be that good.
• The total preparation time is of approximately 5 hours.
• This recipe is for 26.4 oz of puff pastry dough.

Ingredients

17.6 oz of Strong Flour

8.8 oz of Butter

1 teaspoon of Salt

Cookware

1 Plate

1 Measuring Cup

1 Rolling Pin

1 Strainer

1 Knife

1 piece of Food Wrap Film

Directions

Make the Dough

1. Sift over a work table 17.6 oz of strong flour, with a strainer.

The strong flour has to be sifted so it is more pure, so it is easier to work with it and to obtain better results.

2. Make a circle with the flour that was sifted.
3. Add on the center of the flour circle 1 teaspoon of salt.
4. Pour in the center of the flour circle, in intervals, approximately 1 cup of cold water (8.4 fl oz) while you work the dough with your hands, until it has a soft texture and an elastic and firm consistency.

It is very important to feel the dough while you pour the water, it may be possible that all the water won’t be needed.

If your dough doesn’t come out well don’t worry, it can be corrected. If the dough is too soft add more strong flour, if the dough is too rigid add more water.

5. Make a ball with all the dough that was prepared and make an X cut, on the dough’s superior part.
6. Put on a plate some strong flour and also put on the plate the dough that was cut. Cover the dough with a piece of food wrap film and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

Time to Knead

1. Take from the refrigerator the dough, put on the work table some strong flour and crush each of the 4 pieces where the “X” was traced; in such a way that the shape of a cross is obtained.
2. Put on a rolling pin some strong flour and spread each end of the cross, until you get a thin dough layer of approximately .5’’ thick with the shape of a 4 petal flower.
3. Put on the dough’s center that was spread 8.8 oz of butter and fold each dough end (petal) towards the butter; until the butter is totally covered by the dough.
4. Spread the dough uniformly with the rolling pin back and forth, until having a rectangle of about 12’’ x 20’’ x .5’’.

While the dough is spread the butter must not come out. It is also important to shape the dough as least as possible so the butter doesn’t melt. If the butter melts, put the dough in the fridge for a while and then work it again.

5. Fold lengthwise in 3 equal parts, the dough rectangle that was made.
6. Put on the plate the dough that was folded, cover it with the piece of food wrap film and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

Knead Again

1. Take from the refrigerator the dough and put on the work table and on the rolling pin some strong flour.
2. Spread with the rolling pin the dough (from the opposite side from which it was spread the previous time) back and forth, until having a rectangle of about 12’’ x 20’’ x .5’’.
3. Fold lengthwise in 3 equal parts, the dough rectangle that was made.
4. Put on the plate the dough that was folded, cover it with the piece of food wrap film and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
5. Repeat the 4 previous steps 3 more times.
6. When you get to the last repetition refrigerate the puff pastry dough for 1 hour.

Finally!
Your Dough is Ready