Basic Puff Pastry
INGREDIENTS:
225 G/5 OZ PLAIN FLOUR
PINCH OF SALT
1 TSP LEMON JUICE
COLD WATER
225 G/8 OZ UNSALTED BUTTER,
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
DIRECTIONS:
Sift together the flour and salt, then acid the lemon juice and sufficient water to form into a soft, pliable but not sticky dough. Knead it into a smooth ball, cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Place the butter between two sheets of greaseproof paper or cling film and beat it with a rolling pill until it is soft. and malleable and about 1.25 cm/1/2 inch thick.
On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a square about 7.5 mm/1/4 inch thick around the edges with a slightly thicker pad of dough in the centre. Place the butter on this pad and fold the corners of the dough around it, overlapping the edges very slightly, so they meet in the centre. Gently press the block of dough with the rolling pin at 1.25 cm/1/2 inch intervals across its surface until it has grown slightly, then roll it out to a large rectangle. Fold the two ends of the rectangle so they meet in the centre, then fold the whole piece in half so that it resembles a book. Rotate this to the normal reading position of a book with the folded side as the spine. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Repeat the rolling and folding five times, chilling the dough after each one for a minimum of 20-30 minutes. W.hen roll the dough once more before covering and chill for at least 2 hours before giving the final shaping.
