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Rough puff pastry

Rough puff pastry – a quicker version of making your own homemade puff pastry dough, with ingredients you probably already have on hand!

How to make your own puff pastry in a short amount of time, a.k.a. rough puff pastry.

Flashback to a few days ago: me, standing in the frozen section of the grocery store.

Puff pastry dough was nowhere to be found.

Rather than giving up the idea of my new recipe, I decided I’d figure out how to make puff pastry from scratch.

Since I (apparently) like to do things the hard way sometimes.

When I started doing research, I learned that it’s typically a process that takes hours and hours, requiring refrigeration between each step.

Just when I started to feel defeated, I learned of a process called “rough” puff pastry dough, seeming to yield the same results in much less time!

The first time I made this, I misunderstood the process and thought I needed to combine equal parts butter and flour. Um, that’s very wrong. Totally not true guys.

I realized that it’s the same proportions by WEIGHT, not cup measurements. If I lived in another country I would have understood this.

This is probably not the recipe for you if you are looking for one of my “skinny” recipes, as this has a LOT of butter. Literally all it has in it is flour, butter, a little bit of water and a pinch of salt.

But I still think this is a fun recipe to have in your repertoire for those times that you can’t find it in stores and you REALLY want to make Baked Brie Pops or something.

To make one sheet of puff pastry you’ll need 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 11 tablespoons of unsalted butter (that’s almost 1.5 sticks – or 1 stick + 3 T). 

Start with VERY cold butter. Some use frozen butter and use a food processor to combine, but I like to do things by hand (read above where I like to do things the hard way).

If you want to be like me and do by hand, cut the cold butter into small chunks and mix it together in the flour on your work surface – you don’t even need a bowl!

Make a well in the center and add 1/4 cup of ice water.

flour mound with water and chunks of butter mixed in

Lightly knead the water into the dough.

You don’t want to overwork it – the key here is to keep the ingredients COLD and not entirely break the butter into the dough.

Puff pastry gets its “puff” because of the chunks of butter and the layers you will create in the next step.

When just combined, roll out dough into a long rectangle. Fold into thirds by folding the top third down and the bottom third up.

See below for a somewhat choppy demonstration.

slideshow of how to make puff pastry dough

Turn dough 1/4 turn, roll out into a long rectangle again, and repeat this folding process for at least a total of 4 times.

This is what creates the flaky layers. Do this quickly so that the dough stays cold!

puff pastry dough folded on top of itself

After this process, put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter.

You can store in the fridge for a few days (or freeze for longer) if you are not making right away.

If making immediately, after the 30 minutes in the fridge you can bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.

baked puff pastry


What do you like to make out of puff pastry? Some of my favorites that I’ve used rough puff pastry for are:

Of course I prefer to get the frozen puff pastry sheets from Trader Joe’s, but this recipe is helpful when you can’t find any!

Yield: 1 sheet

Rough puff pastry

Rough puff pastry - make your own puff pastry dough in less time than you think! | @trialandeater

Rough puff pastry - make your own homemade puff pastry dough in less time than you think!

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, (very cold)
  • 1/4 cup ice water

Instructions

  1. On a clean, cool work surface, add the flour and salt. Cut the unsalted butter into small chunks and work into the flour mixture lightly.
  2. Make a well in the center of flour mixture, and add the ice water.
  3. Lightly knead the water into the dough until just combined. The key is to keep the dough as cold as possible, so you don't want to overwork it.
  4. When just combined, roll out dough into a long rectangle. Fold into thirds by folding the top third down and the bottom third up.
  5. Turn 1/4 turn, roll out into a long rectangle again, and repeat the folding process for at least a total of 4 times. This is what creates the flaky layers. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.
  6. Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter. Can store in the fridge for a few days (or freeze for longer) if you are not making right away.
  7. If making immediately, after the 30 minutes in the fridge you can roll out dough on a baking sheet, poke holes in dough with a fork, and bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1 sheet

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1574Total Fat: 128gSaturated Fat: 79gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 42gCholesterol: 336mgSodium: 1079mgCarbohydrates: 95gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 14g

Nutrition information is calculated automatically by an online tool at Nutritionix. It is not always accurate. Please use your own tools to check if you rely on this information.

Rough puff pastry pin

 

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Christina

Friday 3rd of September 2021

This looks delicious! Please excuse my ignorance but I don’t understand what happens after it is a cooked product (following the recipe). I want to make a fruit tart for example, so do I not cook it and just keep it as raw dough in the fridge until I am ready to use it with fruit? Do I keep it rolled up with plastic wrap or wax paper? It’s exactly what I was looking for to use with a chicken stew, as the top, so would I cook it and then put it on the stew to serve it? Or cook it raw on top of the stew in the oven? You did say it keeps for a couple days or so in the fridge. Thank you for your answer, I’m sorry that I sound stupid.

Kelly

Wednesday 8th of September 2021

Not a stupid question! You would just use this as you would any (thawed) frozen puff pastry you buy from the store. Bake it only when you're ready to use it. As a topping for your pot pie, I would bake the whole things together so that it bakes over the toppings.

Jade C

Saturday 11th of June 2016

I wanted to make some puff pastry so that I could make some soufflés. This was literally the most perfect recipe. PP came out flakey and delicious.

Kelly

Saturday 11th of June 2016

Awesome, Jade! I'm so happy to hear that feedback.

Sue

Sunday 25th of January 2015

I am going to try this recipe ! Breadsticks ! Or top of chicken pot pie casserole. Thank you

Kelly

Wednesday 28th of January 2015

Oh good ideas Sue! I'd love to hear how it turns out!

Kayle (The Cooking Actress)

Tuesday 16th of September 2014

I love homemade puff pastry and I love how EASY and rustic and awesome your recipe is!!

Kelly

Wednesday 17th of September 2014

Thanks so much Kayle!

Jenny Hartin

Monday 8th of September 2014

Thanks for visiting and commenting on my coconut bread. Love this whole post - going to print it out and try!

Kelly

Friday 12th of September 2014

Thanks so much Jenny - good luck! I'd love to hear how it goes!

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