Quick Puff Pastry (Martha Stewart)

"Quick" Puff Pastry (Martha Stewart)...I usually make this "quick " version of the puff pastry quite often. I keep it in the freezer and it works great for a variety of sweet and savory dishes. You will find that I use this recipe for many dishes...very handy to have around the house.

I often use this dough to make little appetizers filled with various fillings. You may want to brush it with a beaten egg for a more golden color before you bake it. You can cut the dough in 5x5 inch squares placing wax/parchment paper in between them to ensure they don't stick together. You can easily grab one or two from the freezer.This eliminates defrosting a big sheet of puff pastry... if you just want to use a small piece. Hope you enjoy...

RECIPE FOR "QUICK" PUFF PASTRY

Adapted from:Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook by Martha Stewart and Susan Spungen.

Ingredients: Makes 2 pounds, 11 ounces of dough

3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup ice water ( I usually put it in the freezer before I get my flour ready)

Instructions:

1. Combine the flour and the salt in a large, chilled stainless-steel bowl( I used a regular glass bowl).

2. Slice the butter into paper-thin pieces.

3. Using a pastry blender, or working with your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of peas, about 1/2 inch in diameter. (Do not use a food processor.) (I use a knife for this as I find that it works better as I don't want to make the butter pieces too small.)

3. Using a fork, stir in the water gradually, pressing the dough together with your hands as it becomes damp. ( I usually just mix it with the fork and then turn the dough unto my counter top...I then use my hands to bring the the dough together in clumps. I want to minimize how much I handle the dough with my hands. I don't want to melt the butter, since the hands can be quite warm.)

4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a rough rectangle with a short side facing you. The dough will be very crumbly.

5. Fold the dough into thirds, and turn it a quarter turn to the right.
6. Roll the folded dough into a large rectangle, 9 X 16 inches, and fold into thirds again. This completes the first double turn.
7. Brush away any excess flour. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
8. Repeat rolling and folding 2 more times, chilling for 30 minutes after each double turn. ( I sometimes do the folding 3 times instead of 2...I find that the initial folding is quite crumbly and therefore I opt to add another fold). You can put a fingertip indentation on the dough to remind you how many folds you made between chilling.

With each turn the dough will become smoother and easier to handle.
9. Roll out and bake as instructed in the recipe [generally 35 to 40 minutes at 400°F (205°C)]. I usually like to freeze it before I use it...this way I know that the butter will not be soft and that I will get the flaky layers.)

10.The dough can be stored, wrapped well in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

11. To thaw place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.( I don't always have time to let it thaw in the refrigerator... I find that thawing it on the counter top until just thawed works just as well....you just don't want to let it thaw too much as the dough can get warm and the butter soften in the dough... thus not producing too many flaky layers.)