Puff pastry....though this sounds familiar, What exactly is it ??
Puff pastry also known as Pâte Feuilltée , is a flaky light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough and butter or other solid fats like margarine and Shortening that can be used in various preparations right from spicy savories to delicious desserts.
Lamination plays a vital role in its preparation where the Butter is layered within the dough, creating hundreds of flaky layers and When the cold buttered dough hits a hot oven, steam gets released separating those dough layers allowing the pastry to rise sky high !
But can this be mastered by any ??
Well you guessed it right .. and the answer is a big YES !
When I can do it, you can do it too but with a little help and guidance from the Professionals who guide you the right way.
Bringing to you today this recipe of Anuja mam from Simple Baking’s Happy Bakes who made my job easier with all her tips and tricks, in its mastery.
So without any further due let’s begin with its procedure.
Ingredients :
500 gm : All purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp : Salt
25 ml : Clear vinegar
250 ml : Cold water
50 gm : Melted and cooled butter
Lamination / For the butter block :
400 gm : Butter (cold and cubed)
50 gm : All purpose flour
Method :
Let’s begin by preparing the butter block that is used for laminating the dough.
Add the cubed cold butter to a bowl and with a hand held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment beat this on low until it no longer clings to the paddle.
Add the flour and on medium high beat this until the butter turns smooth for about two minutes.Just ensure that the butter is still cool.
Measure and mark six inches on four sides of a parchment sheet. Scoop out the beaten butter and shape to a rough square of about an inch in thickness. Fold the excess corners and roll out with rolling pin to form a perfect square of precised measurement.
Chill this in the refrigerator for about half hour.
In another mixing bowl combine the cold water, salt and vinegar. Add the flour and melted but cooled butter.
Either with a dough hook attachment or by hand work the mixture with your finger tips ( not palm )
to form a dough.
When the pastry is almost amalgamated invert this on to a working surface. Push and fold the dough for 5 to 6 times until it’s homogeneous. Do not overwork the dough.
Place the dough in a well buttered bowl and rest it covered for about 15 minutes.
Lightly dust your working surface with flour and place the dough.
Make a cross on its top cutting it halfway through.
Pull the cut corners in outward direction and roll the four corners further out to make four large flaps resembling the “+” symbol.
Unwrap and Place the butter block in its center and over lap the rolled out flaps enclosing the butter block.
Lightly flour the working surface and roll the pastry to a 10*16 inch rectangle.
Fold the right side of the dough toward the center, leaving a small space, bring the left side and fold closer to the right fold. This is called a book fold.
Wrap the dough with a cling film and place on a baking sheet.
Refrigerate for an hour with which we are done with first turn.
After resting the dough repeat the rolling, folding and resting for three more times.
Do not forget the refrigerate the dough for half hour at least between each turn as this helps in hardening the butter and relaxing the gluten.
After completing the four book folds pre heat the oven to 220 degree Celsius.
Divide the dough into two equal parts.
Cover and refrigerate the other whilst we work with the first half of it.
For khari biscuits :
Dust your working surface with flour and roll out the dough into 10*6 inch rectangular sheet.
Cut the sheet into small rectangular pieces.
Place the pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush them with some fresh milk.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes , Now lower the heat to 160 degree Celsius and continue baking for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden on top.
Cool the baked khari on a wire rack and enjoy it warm with a hot cup of tea.
A sneak peak at those flaky layers ....
Few pointers :
1) You can always reduce the quantity to half for trials.
2) Use good quality butter for lamination.
3) Butter used for laminating has to be cold meaning straight from refrigerator.
4) Use clear vinegar so that it doesn’t stain the pastry.
5) Both salted and unsalted butters can be used in its preparation.
6) Make sure that the butter remains cool throughout its process.
7) Ensure to chill the dough enough between each turn as too much working without chilling melts the butter away giving hard time in working.
8) The puff pastry can be frozen for couple of months and used when required.
Give this simple recipe a try and do share your feedback :)
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