6 1/4 ounces Unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 ounces Cake flour
8 ounces Unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 fluid ounces Water, very cold
Yield: 1 1/4 pounds
1. To mix the dough, place the all-purpose flour in a 2-quarter (2-liter) mixer bowl and sift the cake flour over it. Thoroughly stir the two flours together.
2. Slice 1 ounce (30 grams) of the butter into thin pieces and add to the bowl. Rub in the butter by hand, tossing and squeezing in the butter until no visible pieces remain.
3. Cut the remaining butter into 1/2-inch (1.2-centimeter) cubes. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture. Toss with a rubber spatula just to separate and distribute the butter. Do not rub the butter into the flour.
4. Dissolve the salt in the water. Make a well in the flour-and-butter mixture and add the water. Toss gently with the spatula until the dough is evenly moistened. Add drops of water, if necessary, to complete the moistening. Press and squeeze the dough in a bowl to form a rough cylinder.
5. To turn the dough, first lightly flour the work surface and the dough. Using the palm of your hand, press down on the dough three or four times to shape the dough into a rough rectangle.
6. Press and pound the dough with a rolling pin to form an even rectangle about 1/2 inch (1.2 centimeters) thick. Roll the dough back and forth along its length once or twice until it is an even rectangle about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick. At this stage, pieces of butter are likely to stick to the work surface. If the dough does stick, loosen it with a long spatula or scraper. Clean the surface to minimize further sticking.
7. Fold both ends of the dough in toward the center, then fold them in toward the center again to make four layers, the double book fold Position the package of dough so that the "spine" is on the left.
8. Lightly flour the work surface and the dough and repeat the pressing as before. Roll the dough along its length as before, then roll several times along its width to form a rectangle approximately 6 inches x 18 inches (15 centimeters x 45 centimeters). Fold the dough into the double book fold as before. Repeat the process once more so that the dough will have three double turns.
9. Wrap the dough well in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour before using.
10. The dough can be refrigerated for about 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
11. Yield: 1 lb. 4 oz.
Notes: Adapted from Nick Malgieri's Perfect Pastry
1 1/4 ounces Cake flour
8 ounces Unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 fluid ounces Water, very cold
Yield: 1 1/4 pounds
1. To mix the dough, place the all-purpose flour in a 2-quarter (2-liter) mixer bowl and sift the cake flour over it. Thoroughly stir the two flours together.
2. Slice 1 ounce (30 grams) of the butter into thin pieces and add to the bowl. Rub in the butter by hand, tossing and squeezing in the butter until no visible pieces remain.
3. Cut the remaining butter into 1/2-inch (1.2-centimeter) cubes. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture. Toss with a rubber spatula just to separate and distribute the butter. Do not rub the butter into the flour.
4. Dissolve the salt in the water. Make a well in the flour-and-butter mixture and add the water. Toss gently with the spatula until the dough is evenly moistened. Add drops of water, if necessary, to complete the moistening. Press and squeeze the dough in a bowl to form a rough cylinder.
5. To turn the dough, first lightly flour the work surface and the dough. Using the palm of your hand, press down on the dough three or four times to shape the dough into a rough rectangle.
6. Press and pound the dough with a rolling pin to form an even rectangle about 1/2 inch (1.2 centimeters) thick. Roll the dough back and forth along its length once or twice until it is an even rectangle about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick. At this stage, pieces of butter are likely to stick to the work surface. If the dough does stick, loosen it with a long spatula or scraper. Clean the surface to minimize further sticking.
7. Fold both ends of the dough in toward the center, then fold them in toward the center again to make four layers, the double book fold Position the package of dough so that the "spine" is on the left.
8. Lightly flour the work surface and the dough and repeat the pressing as before. Roll the dough along its length as before, then roll several times along its width to form a rectangle approximately 6 inches x 18 inches (15 centimeters x 45 centimeters). Fold the dough into the double book fold as before. Repeat the process once more so that the dough will have three double turns.
9. Wrap the dough well in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour before using.
10. The dough can be refrigerated for about 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before using it.
11. Yield: 1 lb. 4 oz.
Notes: Adapted from Nick Malgieri's Perfect Pastry
