Everybody says puff pastry dough is tricky and hard to make – that is not true. Only people that never made puff pastry are actually saying this ;)

Puff pastry dough is really not complicated to prepare – it just takes a lot of time to do. A looooong time. That’s it. You probably won’t use this recipe if you’re having friends or family over and want to do something quick – but a dough like this is something you can do a day in advance and then use for several recipes. If you need a quick solution, I definitely recommend a store-bought dough. Just make sure it’s a dough prepared with butter and not plantbased fat. The one with butter is much better ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
4 1/2 cups (580g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. (10g) sugar
2 tsp. (10g) salt
2 1/3 cup (530g) butter
1 1/4 cup (300ml) cold water
580g Mehl (Type 405)
10g Zucker
10g Salz
530g Butter
300ml kaltes Wasser



DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Mix the remaining butter and flour and knead quickly with your hands until all is well combined. The butter should not get too warm. Form a square block – 0.4 inches (1cm) thick and 7 inches (18cm) on the sides. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. On a well-floured surface spread the dough using a rolling pin from the center to edges making a square with 14 inches (35cm) on the sides. Move the dough and use flour so the dough won’t stick to the surface. Place the cooled butter block in the center of the dough square. Fold the edges of the dough to the center, so it looks like an envelope. All of the butter should be covered. Press the dough with the butter inside gently with the rolling pin so the butter block won’t break. Then roll out in one direction only, so the dough forms a rectangle with one side longer than the other side (dough should not be too thin). Fold the edges of the rectangle in thirds like a letter so it forms another rectangle with three layers. Press your thumb in the middle of the dough to mark it as the first folding round. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
4. Take the cold dough out of the fridge and place on the floured surface again. The short side should face you, so you can see the three layers. Roll the dough again in one direction only (away from you) so it forms a rectangle again. Fold the edges of the rectangle in thirds so you get your layers again. Press your thumb twice in the middle of the dough to mark the second folding round. Cover again with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Repeat this three more times so you have five rounds of folding all in all. After the last cooling period in the fridge, the puff pastry dough is ready for use. Before you bake your goods, let them rest for another 20 minutes so you get a good and fluffy result. If you don’t let the dough rest before baking, it will shrink in the oven. Bake as directed in the recipes you’re using this dough.
2. Die restliche Butter mit dem verbliebenen Mehl kurz mit den Händen verkneten. Die Butter sollte nicht zu warm werden dabei. Einen quadratischen Block formen mit einer Dicke von ca. 1cm und 18cm Seitenlänge. In Klarsichtfolie wickeln und ebenfalls für 20 Minuten in den Kühlschrank legen.
3. Auf einer reichlich bemehlten Fläche den Teig zu einem Quadrat mit einer Seitenlänge von 35cm ausrollen. Den Teig dabei immer wieder drehen und mit Mehl bestäuben, damit er nicht festklebt. Den Butterblock aus der Folie nehmen und in der Mitte des Teiges platzieren. Die Ecken des Teigs über den Butterblock schlagen, so dass es wie ein Briefumschlag aussieht. Die Butter sollte komplett mit Teig bedeckt sein. Alles vorsichtig mit dem Teigroller zusammenpressen – die Butter sollte nicht brechen. Dann in eine Richtung ausrollen, damit ein Rechteck mit einer langen Seite entsteht (der Teig sollte nicht zu dünn sein). Von der längeren Seite her zu je einem Drittel einschlagen, damit ein kleineres Rechteck mit drei Schichten entsteht. Mit dem Daumen eine Markierung in die Oberfläche drücken um die erste Runde zu kennzeichnen. In Klarsichtfolie einschlagen und für 20 Minuten in den Kühlschrank legen.
4. Den kalten Teig aus dem Kühlschrank nehmen und auf die bemehlte Fläche legen. Die kurze Seite des Teigs sollte vor einem liegen, so dass man die Schichten des Teiges sehen kann. Erneut in nur eine Richtung ausrollen (vom Körper weg), bis wieder ein Rechteck entstanden ist. Wieder von der längeren Seite her zu je einem Drittel einschlagen um die Schichten zu bekommen. Diesmal zwei Markierungen für die zweite Runde in den Teig drücken und in Folie einschlagen und für 20 Minuten in den Kühlschrank legen. Diesen Prozess noch drei mal wiederholen, bis man 5 Runden komplett hat. Nach der letzten Kühlzeit im Kühlschrank ist der Teig fertig. Vor dem Backen die Backwaren nocheinmal 20 Minuten ruhen lassen, damit der Blätterteig leicht und luftig wird. Wenn der Teig keine Möglichkeit hat noch einmal zu ruhen, zieht er sich beim Backen zusammen. Backzeiten sind abhängig vom Rezept.

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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Puff Pastry Dough
- Prep Time: 180
- Total Time: 180
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups (580g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. (10g) sugar
- 2 tsp. (10g) salt
- 2 1/3 cup (530g) butter
- 1 1/4 cup (300ml) cold water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor add 4 cups (500g) of the flour, sugar, salt an 1/8 cup (30g) of the butter and combine. Add the cold water and continue kneading until all the ingredients are well combined (5-7 minutes). Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Mix the remaining butter and flour and knead quickly with your hands until all is well combined. The butter should not get too warm. Form a square block – 0.4 inches (1cm) thick and 7 inches (18cm) on the sides. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- On a well floured surface spread the dough using a rolling pin from the center to edges making a square with 14 inches (35cm) on the sides. Move the dough and use flour so the dough won’t stick to the surface. Place the cooled butter block in the center of the dough square. Fold the edges of the dough to the center, so it looks like an envelope. All of the butter should be covered. Press the dough with the butter inside gently with the rolling pin so the butter block won’t break. Then roll out in one direction only, so the dough forms a rectangle with one side longer than the other side (dough should not be too thin). Fold the edges of the rectangle in thirds like a letter so it forms another rectangle with three layers. Press your thumb in the middle of the dough to mark it as the first folding round. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Take the cold dough out of the fridge and place on the floured surface again. The short side should face you, so you can see the three layers. Roll the dough again in one direction only (away from you) so it forms a longer rectangle again. Fold the edges of the rectangle in thirds so you get your layers again. Press your thumb twice in the middle of the dough to mark the second folding round. Cover again with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Repeat this three more times so you have five rounds of folding all in all. After the last cooling period in the fridge, the puff pastry dough is ready for use. Before you bake your goods, let them rest for another 20 minutes so you get a good and fluffy result. If you don’t let the dough rest before baking, it will shrink in the oven. Bake as directed in the recipes you’re using this dough.
Notes
- Enjoy baking!