STEP-BY-STEP PUFF PASTRY

Makes about 500g (1lb 2oz)

● 250g (7oz) plain flour, plus extra to dust

● ½tsp salt

● 180-200g (6-7oz) cold but pliable unsalted butter

● 100-120ml (6½-8 tbsp) chilled water

1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut 30g (1oz) from the butter, dice and add to the bowl. Rub into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 100ml (1½fl oz) water and, using a knife, quickly mix everything together for about 15-20 seconds.

2 Add more water if needed (but no more than 8 tbsp). Work into a smooth pastry using your hands. Shape into a block about 12 x 17cm (5in x 7in) and 2-3cm (¹/ 8 in) thick, wrap in Clingfilm and chill for 20 mins.

3 Unwrap the puff pastry onto a floured surface, with a short end facing you. Using a rolling pin, gently ‘ridge’ the pastry, by gently patting up and down on it, keeping the rolling pin parallel to you. Roll until the pastry is about twice as long as it is wide.

4 Place the remaining butter between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper. Flatten with a rolling pin, then shape into a rectangle half the size of the pastry. Neaten to a rectangle.

5 Place the butter on the bottom half of the pastry, press the border lightly to flatten it, bring the edges of the pastry up the sides of the butter and press them over the edge of the butter.

6Bring the top half down over the exposed butter. Press the edges down against the sides of the butter, ensuring a good seal. With the folded side away from you, ‘ridge’ and then roll the pastry to 3 times as long as it is wide, keep the sides straight and corners square.

7 Fold the bottom third of the pastry over the middle third, then the top third down over the bottom and middle third. Turn the pastry 90 degrees so the fold is at your left. This completes the first roll and fold. 8 Now, repeat the roll and fold, making sure the pastry is always cold to the touch and the butter is not breaking through. If it is, scatter flour over, dust off with a pastry brush and continue. Wrap closely, making a note of how many roll and folds you have done, and place in the fridge again to relax and keep the butter cool and firm, for about 20 minutes. The butter must be cool but pliable, so don’t let it firm up too much.

9 Repeat the 2 roll and folds again twice, covering the pastry closely and chilling for about 20 minutes after each 2 roll and folds. Make a note of how many roll and folds you have done. Once the pastry has had 6 roll and folds, refrigerate until needed. If streaky, you may need to complete one more roll and fold.