Puff Pastry Dough Recipe
Think homemade puff pastry is too tricky to make? Trust me, with a bit of patience (and a few tips), you’ll get the hang of it, and once you do, there’s no going back to store-bought! It’s one of the base of French cuisine, and mastering it opens the door to so many delicious creations: tarts, vol-au-vents, mille-feuilles… the possibilities are endless.
Ingredients for Puff Pastry
You’ll see, the ingredients are very simple. The secret lies mainly in the gestures and rest periods. You’ll find the exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
- Flour: I usually go for am all-purpose flour, it’s absolutely fine. You can also mix it with bread flour which has more proteins and gluten which is good for elasticity.
- Butter: A key ingredient! You’ll need a little of it for the base dough and some for the butter block. Choose a classic 82% fat butter.
- Water: Fresh is best to prevent the butter from melting too quickly.
- Salt: Not to be overlooked, salt plays an important role in pastry-making!
Puff Patry: Step-by-Step
1. Prepare the dough (détrempe)
I always start by preparing the dough which we call détrempe. You can even make it the day before!
Pour the flour into a mixing bowl (or directly onto the work surface), make a well and add the water and salt a little at a time. Then add the soft butter in pieces.
I mix by hand or in a kitchen machine until I obtain a homogeneous dough. It’s a little firm and dry, so it’s normal that it’s not super soft at this stage.
Shape into a ball, cut a cross in the top, cover with cling film and leave in a cool place for at least 30 minutes (you can also make it the day before and leave it overnight).
2. Prepare the butter block (beurre de tourage)
While the dough is resting, I prepare the butter block which we call beurre de tourage in Franche, i.e. the butter that will be inserted into the dough in a thin layer.
To do this, I start by cutting my butter into cubes. I place them in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Next, I fold the sheet over itself to form a square of about 8×8 inches (20×20 cm), like a tightly closed envelope.
Then, using my rolling pin, I first tap the butter to soften it, then roll it to flatten it. The aim is to obtain a fine, even square of butter. And above all, there’s no need for delicacy here… just go for it, it’s time to let off steam!
Then chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15 minutes if you’re in a hurry.
3. Tourage: all 3 rounds!
Stir in the butter
I take the dough out from the fridge and lightly flour my work surface. Following the incisions, I flatten the dough with my fingers to form a rectangle. I then roll out the dough into a large rectangle measuring approximately 16 x 8 inches (40 x 20 cm), and place the cold butter block in the center.
Tip: Remember to flour your work surface and rolling pin, but only lightly, so as not to dry out the dough. And above all, work quickly: the butter must remain cold to create a pretty puff pastry.
I close the dough over the butter to enclose it, then weld the edges together. Next, I turn the dough a quarter turn: the fold that was on the sides is now at the top and bottom.
First Round
Once the butter has been envelopped, it’s time to fold the dough to create the puff pastry. The more turns or folds you make, the flakier the pastry will be.
I roll out the puff pastry again into a rectangle of about 16 x 8 inches (40 cm x 20 cm), and fold into thirds.
Tip : Never use excessive force with the rolling pin to avoid piercing the dough. See my tips below.
I wrap the whole thing in cling-film, and put it to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge (or 10 minutes in the freezer, but no more!).
Second double round
I place the dough in front of me in the same direction as before, then make a quarter turn to get the fold at the top and bottom of the rectangle. Then I roll it out again into a long rectangle of about 24 x 8 inches (60 x 20 cm).
I fold a quarter of each side towards the center, then fold in half: it’s a double turn. Then do the same thing: film and leave to rest for 30 minutes in a cool place or 10 minutes in the freezer.
Third single round
The third round is optional, so if you’re afraid of breaking the dough, don’t attempt it.
If not, take the dough again, make another quarter turn, roll out one last time into a rectangle, and fold in three, as in the first turn. To finish, I film it well, and can either use it right away, or freeze it for later.
Note : This recipe gives you two puff pastries, so I cut it in half at the end. You can use one right away, and keep the second in the freezer: super handy for the next express tart!
How do you roll out homemade puff pastry?
This is the most important piece of advice: make sure your puff pastry is well rolled out, as this will guarantee a beautiful, even puff pastry when it’s baked. If you press too hard, go too fast, or if the butter breaks through, the puff pastry won’t be as pretty. So take your time, and follow these steps:
- Before each round, make sure the dough is cold, but not too hard. If it’s too hard, it may crack; if it’s too soft, the butter will melt.
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Don’t use too much to avoid drying out the dough.
- Always press gently with the roller, from the center to the edges. It’s better to make several light passes than one heavy one.
- Turn the dough a quarter-turn after each folding to keep an even shape. You can also lightly trim the short edges to create a nice, neat rectangle when folding. You don’t have to do this, but it helps to make the layers more even.
- If the dough becomes sticky or soft, don’t hesitate to chill it for 10 minutes before continuing.
And once you know how to roll out the dough… the rest, frankly, is just folding. In fact, I think it’s quite fun!
Note : Puff pastry is very similar to croissant dough, so if you can make it, you can try my homemade croissants. But there are plenty of other recipes open to you: apple turnovers, palmiers, Goat Cheese and Apple Puff Pastry, Galette des Rois (French King Cake), French Apple Tart, …
Recipe ideas using puff pastry
- Asparagus and goat’s cheese tart
- Leek Tarte Tatin
- Galette des Rois (French King Cake)
- Alaska Smoked Salmon Roses
- Goat Cheese and Apple Puff Pastry
- Christmas Apple Roses
- French Apple Tart
Frequently Asked Questions
Croissant dough contains yeast (to make the dough rise) and a little sugar, unlike puff pastry. Their texture is therefore different, but the kneading technique is very similar.
Homemade puff pastry can be stored for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, well-wrapped.
Yes, of course! It freezes well for up to 2 months. Simply wrap in cling film.
Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then take it out 10 minutes before use.
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Recipe Card
Puff Pastry Dough Recipe
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 3 1/3 cups of flour 400 g
- 1 teaspoon salt 6 g
- 3/4 cup +1 tablespoon of water 200 ml
- 3 1/3 tablespoons of butter 50 g
For the butter block
- 1 cup of butter 200 g
Instructions
Prepare the dough (détrempe)
- Pour the flour into a large bowl or onto a work surface, and make a well in the center. Gradually add the water and salt, then the soft butter in pieces.
- Form into a ball, cut a cross on top, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 min. (or overnight).
Prepare the butter block (beurre de tourage)
- Cut butter into cubes. Place in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper.
- Fold the sheet to form a square envelope measuring approximately 8 x8 inches (20 x 20 cm).
- Tap the butter firmly with a rolling pin, then roll it out inside the parchment to form an even square.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for 15 minutes.
- Mix with your fingertips or in a kitchen machine until the dough is smooth and slightly firm (this is normal).
The Tourage: 3 turns
Incorporate the Butter
- Lightly flour your surface. Take out the dough and gently press along the scored cross to form a thick "plus sign" shape.Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 16 x 8 inches (40 x 20 cm).Place the cold butter block in the center. Fold the dough over to enclose the butter completely.Seal the edges well. Turn the dough 90°, then gently roll out again to a rectangle.
First single round
- Roll out again into a rectangle about 16 x 8 inches (40 x 20 cm), pressing gently (very important!) with the rolling pin.Fold one third of the dough, then fold the opposite third over it. (see pictures above)Wrap in cling film and place in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Second double round
- Turn the dough through 90° again and roll out into a longer rectangle about 24 x 8 inches (40 x 20 cm).Fold one quarter of the dough to the center, then fold the opposite quarter over it, then fold the dough up like a book.Wrap again and freeze for another 15 minutes or chill for 30 minutes.
Third single round
- Turn again 90°, repeat a single fold as in the first round.Cut the dough in half to make two “normal” sized pieces of puff pastry. Wrap well, place on a baking tray (so that it stays flat) and leave to rest in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours.
- IMPORTANT: If it’s your first time making puff pastry, I highly recommend reading the full article—don’t miss the key tips and step-by-step photos that will guide you through every stage!
Notes
- Always work quickly to keep the butter cold.
- Never force the roll: if you feel resistance, the dough needs to rest.
- Lightly flour the work surface between each turn, but do not overflour.
- You can mark the dough with your fingers to keep track of the number of rounds completed.
