Puff Paste Recipe 2 1

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Ingredients for Puff Paste Recipe 2 1

1 lb. flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb. butter
Ice water

Instructions

Keep everything clean and cold; wash the butter in cold water, reserve one-third pound.
Divide the remaining two-thirds into four equal parts and pat each into a thin sheet.
Set these sheets on ice.
Mix and sift the flour and salt, cut and rub the reserved butter into it and make as stiff as possible with ice water.
Dust moulding board slightly with flour, turn the paste onto board and knead for one minute, place on ice and let stand for five minutes.
Beat and roll the paste into an oblong sheet one-third inch thick; place one sheet of butter on the middle of the paste, fold the paste, letting the right third fold over and the left third fold under.
The paste is now in a rectangular shape and with a little care in rolling can be kept so through all the subsequent foldings and rollings.
Roll out to one-quarter inch thick and fold as before, but without butter.
The third time of folding enclose the second piece of butter, and continue adding it at every alternate rolling until the butter has all been used; as there were four sheets of butter that will make eight times folding and rolling the paste.
Finally give one or two extra turns.
Lay on ice until needed for use.
It is better to lie for several hours before being baked.
If the paste sticks to the board or pin, lay on ice until chilled through, scrape the board clean, polish with a dry cloth and dust with fresh flour before trying again.
Use as little flour in rolling as possible, but use enough to keep the paste dry.
Roll with a light, even, long stroke in every direction, but never work the rolling pin back and forth, as that kneads the paste and toughens it, besides breaking the bubbles of air.
The number of layers of butter and paste make it flaky, and every bubble of air that is folded in helps it to rise and puff in baking.