Puff Pastry

[Pastry, Pasta and Batters]

225g/8oz plain flour

a pinch of salt

30g/1oz lard

120-150ml/4-5fl oz iced water

140-200g/5-7oz butter

1.      If you have never made puff pastry before use the least amount of butter, this will give a normal pastry. If you have some experience, more butter will produce a lighter, very rich pastry.

2.      Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the lard. Add enough water to mix with a knife to a doughy consistency. Turn onto a floured board and knead until just smooth. Chill, wrapped in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3.      Lightly flour the board and roll into a rectangle about 30 x 10cm/12 x 4in.

4.      Tap the butter lightly with the rolling pin to shape it into a flattened block about 9 x 8cm/3½ x 3in. Put the butter on the rectangle of pastry and fold both ends over to enclose it. Fold the third closest to you first and then bring the top third down. Press the sides together to prevent the butter escaping. Give it a 90-degree anti-clockwise turn so that the folded, closed edge is on your left.

5.      Now tap the pastry parcel with the rolling pin to flatten out the butter a little, then roll out until the pastry is three times as long as it is wide. Fold it evenly in 3, first folding the third that is closest to you then bringing the top third down. Give it another 90-degree turn as before and again roll out as before.

6.    Now the pastry has had 2 rolls and folds. It should be put to rest for 30 minutes or so. The rolling and folding must be repeated twice more, then rested and rolled and folded again. this makes a total of 6 rolls and folds. If the butter is still very streaky, roll and fold it again.