Rough puff pastry recipe

1. Mix the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the unsalted butter, toss to coat, then roughly rub into the flour – you should still be able to see pieces of butter, you don’t want it to disappear. Add 4 tbsp cold water and stir in with a cutlery knife until the mixture comes together, adding another 1 tbsp water if it’s too crumbly.
2. Knead lightly to give a rough but firm dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle roughly 12 x 18cm. Wrap in clingfilm, then chill for 30 mins or until firm.
3. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 20 x 45cm, using a palette knife to help you keep the edges straight. You should be able to see streaks of butter at this stage. With a short edge facing you, fold the bottom third of the pastry up to the centre, then fold the top third over the top. Wrap in clingfilm and return to the fridge for 20 mins
4. Place the pastry with the closed folded side to the left (like a book), then repeat the folding technique three times. Chill for at least 30 mins before using

Tip: How do I know if I’ve ‘over-worked’ my dough before cooking it? Overworking pastry will develop the gluten in the flour, which will make pastry hard to roll.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

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