Rough Puff Pastry
Rough puff pastry is the home cook’s shortcut to puff pastry, made by folding walnut-sized chunks of cold fat through a soft dough four to five times. Flaky enough for tart shells, vol-au-vents, and turnovers.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
20 minREADY
50 minRough puff pastry is the British home cook’s clever shortcut to classic puff pastry. Instead of laminating a single block of butter into a dough through hours of folding, you cut walnut-sized chunks of cold fat directly into the flour and water, leaving the chunks visible in the dough. The four to five subsequent rolling-and-folding steps create the layers as you go, no separate butter block required.
The technique demands cold ingredients and a light touch. Each fat chunk should stay distinct in the dough, not get smashed into the flour. Gently rolling the dough into a strip and folding it into thirds (like a letter) is what creates the characteristic flaky layers. Sealing the edges with a rolling pin between folds traps the air pockets that will puff in the oven.
The 20-minute fridge rest after the second roll is the only mandatory chill. Without it, the margarine (or butter, if you prefer) softens and the layers fuse, killing the puff.
Pro Tips
- Use cold water and cold fat. Warm anything melts the butter into the flour and you lose the layers.
- Don’t overwork the dough. The chunks of fat should stay visible, not blend in.
- Roll in one direction at a time. Pushing the dough back and forth tears the layers.
- Brush off excess flour between rolls. Built-up flour stops the layers from puffing properly.
Variations
- Use butter for richer flavor. The technique is identical.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the cold water for extra tender pastry.
- Use this in place of regular puff pastry in tart shells, vol-au-vents, or turnovers.
Ingredients
Directions
Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
Cut the margarine into small pieces (size of a walnut).
Add to the flour and toss lightly with the fingertips so that each piece of margarine is coated with flour - but not broken up.
Add 6 Tablespoons water and mix lightly with the blade of a knife into a soft dough, making sure that the pieces of margarine are kept whole.
If some of the flour is loose in the bowl, add a little more water and mix until it is worked in and the dough fairly soft.
Gather together with the fingertips, turn out onto a well-floured board and sprinkle with flour.
Form into a small oblong, flour the rolling pin and roll lightly and carefully to a strip approximately 10 inches by 5 inches.
Brush off any surplus flour.
Fold into three by folding the bottom third upwards and the top third downwards and over to cover it.
Lightly press the three open edges with the rolling pin to seal.
Second Rolling:
Turn the pastry round on the board so that the right hand edge faces you.
Roll out to a strip approximately 9 inches by 6 inches.
Brush off any surplus flour.
Fold into three again and seal the edges.
Place on a floured plate; sprinkle with flour; cover with a damp cloth or plastic bag and leave in a cold place for 20 minutes.
Third and Fourth Rollings:
Repeat directions for second rolling for the third rolling (the resting period can be omitted) and again for the fourth rolling.
If the dough is streaky and rough in appearance, give it a fifth rolling.
After the last rolling and final resting, the pastry is ready to roll to the thickness stated in the recipe used.
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