Homemade Quick Puff Pastry Sheet Recipe | Perfect For Puffs, Tarts & Pies.

Step 1: To begin making the Quick Puff Pastry Recipe Sheet for making puffs, measure all the ingredients and keep them ready

Step 2: Add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and give a quick stir to combine it

Step 3: Add the large cubes of butter into the flour mixture

Step 4: Ensure each piece of butter is coated fully into flour

Step 5: When it is coated in flour it will be less likely to melt and also less likely to melt out of the dough later when we roll to make the sheets

Step 6: This process of covering the butter with flour is called lamination of the butter with flour

Step 7: If it is not laminated well, the butter will melt out of the dough and you will end up with a puff that is not flaky

Step 8: Next, squish up the cubes of butter coated with flour by pressing between your fingers

Step 9: Like shown in the image below

Step 10: Once all the pieces are squished, just toss them in flour once again

Step 11: You need to ensure all the butter pieces are well coated with flour

Step 12: Make a well in the center and add little ice water at a time

Step 13: Starting with 1/3 cup and then adding more if required a tablespoon at a time

Step 14: Because every single brand of flour absorbs moisture differently, we need to ensure we add that water little at a time

Step 15: To mix the water in, toss the flour into the water and it helps the water get incorporated to form the dough without kneading

Step 16: Do not knead the dough, as it can activate too much gluten

Step 17: When it gets to a stage where the puff pastry dough forms large clumps, you can knead a little to understand how much more moisture is needed to bring the dough together without breaking those butter shingles

Step 18: Add a few tablespoons of water if needed again to bring the dry flour together to form the dough

Step 19: It is important to get the dough to the right hydration level

Step 20: If it becomes too wet, then the dough will become sticky and might not be the best thing for puff pastry

Step 21: Gently press and bring the flour together to form a dough without kneading

Step 22: It is important to work as quickly as possible

Step 23: If you take too long and knead too long the heat from your hands will melt the butter and make it sticky

Step 24: We need to ensure that the butter is still in big pieces in the dough after bringing it together

Step 25: The dough will look rough and not smooth and you will be able to see the big chunks of butter and will not look totally smooth

Step 26: Divide the dough in two halves and shape each piece into an almost square disk

Step 27: Wrap each disc of dough in a plastic/ cling film wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour

Step 28: Based on the warmth and the humidity of the region, a minimum one hour will allow the dough to rest before we begin the folds to make the puff pastry sheet

Step 29: After one hour, remove the dough from the refrigerator

Step 30: Dust the working surface with very little flour

Step 31: Open one of the discs while the other is still in refrigeration

Step 32: First RoundRoll out the dough into a rough rectangle shape to about 1/2 inch thickness

Step 33: The dough will be tough, so use a little muscle to roll it out

Step 34: If you feel the dough is sticky with butter, sprinkle a little bit of flour in the area where the butter feels sticky

Step 35: Ensure you dust off any excess flour

Step 36: Once you have rolled it into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle, fold the dough into half and then fold the half into a quarter again

Step 37: This is the first fold

Step 38: We will proceed to make the 2nd fold in the same round

Step 39: Dust a little flour if required and roll into a 1/2 inch rectangle again and then do the folds (first into half and then again fold the half into a quarter)

Step 40: Wrap this dough the same cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour until the dough is firm

Step 41: Second RoundAfter an hour, repeat the process mentioned in the first round again

Step 42: Once you are done with at least 3 to 4 rounds of rolling, folding and chilling process, the puff pastry dough is ready

Step 43: You need to ensure you refrigerate the puff pastry dough for at least 6 to 8 hours before you are ready to use it to make puffs, tarts and more

Step 44: These puff pastry sheets can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 to 4 months

Step 45: When you are ready to use them, thaw for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature and begin using it for the recipes