DIY Butter Puff Pastry (Rough Puff, Home-Oven Friendly)

Puff pastry is one of those things many of us rely on but rarely make ourselves, mostly because the classic version demands time, precision, and a level of planning that doesn’t always fit real life. This rough puff pastry is my go-to middle ground: made with real butter, mixed quickly in a food processor, and laminated just enough to give you flaky, crisp layers without turning your day into a baking project. It’s designed for home ovens, flexible schedules, and savory or sweet bakes alike — the kind of dough you can start in the morning, leave in the fridge, and roll out later when you’re actually ready to cook.

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Recipe

Servings: 16 servings (based on 2 pastry sheets)

Calories per serving: ~230

Total time: ~2½ hours (about 35 minutes active, the rest chilling)

DIY Butter Puff Pastry (Rough Puff, Home-Oven Friendly)

Ingredients

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons fine salt

• 425 g unsalted butter, very cold

• 240–270 ml ice-cold water (1 to 1⅛ cups)

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar

Instructions

1. Prepare the butter Cut the butter into 2–3 cm cubes. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. The butter should be hard and brittle, not flexible. This is essential for flaky layers and to prevent butter leaking during baking.

2. Mix the dough in the food processor (in two batches) A 12-cup food processor is powerful, so work in two halves to protect the butter texture. For each half: add 250 g flour and 1 teaspoon salt, pulse once. Add half the butter and pulse 4–6 times only, until you see large butter shards. Add 120 ml cold water and ½ teaspoon lemon juice, pulsing 2–3 times just until clumps form. Combine both batches on the counter and gently press into one rough mass. Do not knead.

3. First turn (building structure) Press the dough into a rough rectangle. Roll gently to about 20 × 30 cm and roughly 1 cm thick. Fold into thirds like a letter: fold the left third over the center, then the right third over that. Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Roll again to the same size and thickness, then repeat the letter fold. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (45–60 minutes is even better).

4. Second turn (layer definition) Repeat the same process: roll to about 1 cm thickness, fold into thirds, rotate, roll again, and fold again. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for another 30 minutes or longer if needed.

5. Final fold (stability before resting) Roll the dough once more to about 1 cm thick. Do one final letter fold only. The dough should now be a compact block about 2–2.5 cm thick. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 3–5 hours.

6. Rolling for baking When ready to use, let the dough sit at room temperature for 2–3 minutes just to soften slightly. Roll to your recipe’s required thickness: usually about 3 mm for tarts, borekas, hand pies, or cheese twists. If the dough snaps back, chill it briefly and continue.

Nutritional Value (per serving, approx.)

• Calories: 230

• Fat: 17 g

• Saturated fat: 10 g

• Carbohydrates: 17 g

• Protein: 3 g

• Fiber: 1 g

• Cholesterol: 40 mg

• Sodium: 150 mg

Key micronutrients:

• Vitamin A (from butter): supports eye and immune health

• Calcium: small contribution from butter

• Iron: from flour

Health note: While puff pastry is an indulgent food, this version uses real butter and no margarine or seed oils, making it a cleaner, less processed option than most store-bought versions. Because it’s homemade, portion size and ingredients stay fully in your control.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerator: Wrap tightly and store for up to 48 hours before rolling and baking.

• Freezer: Freeze after the final fold, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use. Do not refold after thawing.

• Baked pastries: Best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 days and reheated in a hot oven to re-crisp.

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Photos of process

Prep butter

In food processor

In food processor

In food processor

In food processor

In food processor

Ready to start folds

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Folding process

Roll for use

Make your favorite type of pastry

Make your favorite type of pastry

Make your favorite type of pastry

Make your favorite type of pastry

Enjoy

Enjoy

Enjoy

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Prompt

Here's I c used ChatGPT to create this "DIY Butter Puff Pastry (Rough Puff, Home-Oven Friendly)" recipe:

Me:

I want a easy and quick puff pastry dough recipe. I saw this: https://www.mako.co.il/food-recipes/recipes_column-bread/Recipe-6631a1245e70d81026.htm However I want something that's closer to the store bought one, perhaps just shorter time, but ok if slightly more than 40 mins for the processing. Can you provide a recipe that's now super quick but also not a whole day thing?

ChatGPT:

You’re basically describing rough puff pastry (a.k.a. “cheater puff”) — the closest you can realistically get to store-bought puff without the all-day lamination project. The Mako recipe you linked is fine, but many quick versions bake up more like flaky pie dough than true puff. The key difference is visible butter chunks + a few proper folds + short rests.

Below is a middle-ground recipe:

• Much closer to frozen store-bought puff

• About 75–90 minutes total, most of it inactive

• Uses only butter (no margarine, no oil)

• Clean layers, good rise, crisp edges

Easy Rough Puff Pastry (Store-Bought–Style, Same Day)

Total time

~1 hour 20 minutesActive: ~25 minutesResting/chilling: ~55 minutes

Makes

1 sheet (enough for 1 tart, galette, or turnovers)

Ingredients

• 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp fine salt

• 225 g cold unsalted butter (VERY cold, straight from fridge)

• 120–140 ml ice-cold water (½–⅔ cup)

• Optional: ½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar (helps tenderness, not flavor)

Step 1: Prep the butter (5 minutes)

Cut the butter into 1.5–2 cm cubes.Put them back in the fridge while you prep the flour.👉 Butter chunks must stay visible — this is non-negotiable.

Step 2: Mix dough (5 minutes)

In a large bowl:

• Mix flour + salt

• Toss butter cubes through the flour until coated

Add 120 ml water + lemon juice, mixing gently with a fork or your hands just until the dough barely comes together.If dry, add water 1 tbsp at a time.

The dough should look shaggy, lumpy, and messy — not smooth.

Step 3: First roll + folds (10 minutes)

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.

1. Press into a rough rectangle

2. Roll gently to about 20 × 30 cm (8 × 12 in)

3. Fold into thirds like a letter

4. Rotate 90°

5. Roll and fold again

That’s 2 folds.

Wrap and chill 20 minutes.

Step 4: Second roll + folds (10 minutes)

Repeat:

• Roll to rectangle

• Fold into thirds

• Rotate, roll, fold again

That’s 2 more folds (4 total).

Wrap and chill 20–30 minutes.

Step 5: Ready to use

After the second chill, your dough is ready to roll and bake.Roll to 3–4 mm thickness for classic puff results.

Baking tips (this is where store-bought texture happens)

• Always bake at high heat: 200–220°C / 400–425°F

• Cold dough → hot oven = lift

• If making savory items, dock lightly; for pastries, don’t

• Egg wash improves layering visibility but isn’t required

How close is this to store-bought?

Very close in:

• Layering

• Crispness

• Rise

Slightly less uniform (which is honestly a plus for home baking).

If you want it even closer, the only upgrade is:👉 One extra fold + chill (adds ~25 minutes total).

When NOT to use this

• Mille-feuille or ultra-precise pastry layers

• Professional viennoiserieFor everything else (tarts, cheese straws, borekas, galettes): perfect.

If you want, I can:

• Adapt this specifically for savory Israeli-style pastries

• Convert it to cups only

• Adjust for food processor

• Compare it directly to the Mako recipe and explain why results differ

Just tell me what you’re aiming to bake with it.

Me:

Even closer. Also can I use food processor? If I start around 10:30 am, can I use at 5-6 for dinner?

ChatGPT:

Yes to food processor, and yes — if you start at 10:30 AM, this dough will be perfectly ready (and actually better) for 5–6 PM dinner. That extra rest time helps it behave even more like store-bought.

Below is the closest you can get to frozen puff pastry at home without a full lamination day. This is still rough puff, but pushed one notch closer to commercial texture.

Ultra-Close Rough Puff Pastry (Food Processor Method)

Total elapsed time: ~2–2½ hoursActive time: ~30 minutesResting: flexible (you can pause for hours)

Ingredients

• 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp fine salt

• 250 g unsalted butter, very cold

• 120–140 ml ice-cold water (½–⅔ cup)

• ½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar (recommended)

👉 Yes, this is more butter than many quick recipes — that’s intentional. Store-bought puff is fat-heavy.

Step 1: Butter prep (critical)

Cut butter into 2–3 cm chunks, freeze 10 minutes.

You want:

• Hard butter

• No smearing during processing

Step 2: Food processor mix (2–3 minutes)

In processor bowl:

1. Add flour + salt → pulse once

2. Add frozen butter → pulse 4–6 times only

Stop when:

• You have flat butter shards, some as big as almonds

• No paste, no uniform crumbs

Add:

• 120 ml water + lemon juicePulse 2–3 times max, just until dough starts clumping.

If needed, add water 1 tbsp at a time.

Dump onto counter — it will look messy and streaky. Perfect.

Step 3: First lamination block (10 minutes)

Press dough into rectangle. Roll gently to 20×30 cm.

Do:

• Use short strokes

• Lift and flour lightly

• Let butter stay visible

Fold into thirds → rotate → fold again.

Wrap and chill 30 minutes.

Step 4: Second lamination (10 minutes)

Repeat:

• Roll → fold

• Rotate → roll → fold

Wrap and chill 30 minutes.

At this point you already have better lamination than most “40-minute” recipes.

Step 5: Third lamination (the store-bought jump)

Roll once more → fold once (just one fold, not two).

Wrap tightly.

Now you can:

• Chill 1–4 hours (ideal for you)

• Or refrigerate overnight

This long rest is exactly what commercial dough gets.

Dinner timing (your schedule)

10:30 AM – Start11:00 – Dough mixed11:30–12:00 – First folds + chill12:30 – Second folds + chill1:00 PM – Third fold1:00–5:00 PM – Rest in fridge (excellent)5–6 PM – Roll, shape, bake

This is actually better than rushing.

Baking = final texture control

To mimic frozen puff:

• Roll 3 mm thin

• Bake 220°C / 425°F, fully preheated

• Cold dough straight from fridge

• Don’t crowd the pan

How close is this, honestly?

• Layering: 90–95% of store-bought

• Rise: nearly identical

• Flavor: better (real butter)

• Uniformity: slightly less machine-perfect (normal)

Going beyond this means a classic détrempe + beurrage + 6 turns — that’s the all-day project you said you don’t want.

If you tell me what you’re baking for dinner (savory tart, borekas, hand pies, cheese straws, etc.), I’ll give you:

• Ideal thickness

• Docking or not

• Exact bake time for crisp layers without butter leaks

Me:

Can you double the amount?

ChatGPT:

Absolutely. Here’s the same “ultra-close to store-bought” rough puff, doubled, with no method changes — just scaled cleanly so it behaves the same.

Ultra-Close Rough Puff Pastry — Double Batch

Total time: ~2–2½ hoursActive: ~35 minutesYield: 2 large sheets (or 4 smaller ones)Enough for multiple tarts, borekas, or to freeze one sheet.

Ingredients

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp fine salt

• 500 g unsalted butter, very cold

• 240–280 ml ice-cold water (1–1¼ cups)

• 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

Yes, this is a lot of butter — that’s why it bakes like frozen puff.

Food Processor Mixing (Important note)

If your processor is 11–14 cups, do this in two batches, then combine.Overcrowding = smeared butter = lost layers.

Step 1: Butter prep

Cut butter into 2–3 cm chunks.Freeze 10 minutes.

Step 2: Processor mix (per batch)

For each half:

1. 250 g flour + 1 tsp salt → pulse once

2. Add 250 g frozen butter → pulse 4–6 times only

3. Add 120 ml water + ½ tsp acid → pulse 2–3 times

Dump both batches together onto the counter and gently press to combine.You should see butter streaks everywhere.

Lamination (same as single batch)

First lamination

• Roll to ~20×30 cm

• Fold into thirds

• Rotate → fold againWrap, chill 30 min

Second lamination

Repeat aboveWrap, chill 30 min

Third lamination

• Roll once

• Fold onceWrap tightly

Holding & timing (your 5–6 PM dinner plan)

After the third fold, you can:

• Chill 3–6 hours (ideal)

• Or refrigerate up to 24 hours

You can also split now into two equal blocks:

• Use one today

• Freeze one (well wrapped) for up to 2 months

Baking tips (unchanged, but more important with big batches)

• Roll cold dough only

• Thickness: 3 mm for classic puff

• Bake 220°C / 425°F

• Cold dough → hot oven = lift

Freezing instructions

• Freeze after the final fold, before rolling

• Thaw overnight in fridge

• Do not refold after thawing — just roll and bake

Reality check

This doubled version will behave identically to the single batch as long as:

• Butter stays cold

• Processor isn’t overloaded

• You don’t add extra flour while rolling

If you want, tell me:

• What shape you’re making (sheet tart, borekas, twists)

• Whether you plan to freeze one portion

I’ll give you exact thickness + bake times so it comes out crisp, not greasy.

Me:

So when I was trying to make croissants, the butter in them was dripping during baking and actually landed on the bottom of my oven, causing smoke and my smoke alarms going off. So I'm weary bout the butter her. I know you said it's ok but still feels way too much. Feel free to push back of I'm wrong just trying to be cautious and avoid having my house stink for days again.

ChatGPT:

You’re not being paranoid — you’re mixing up two very different failure modes, and that’s what’s causing the fear. I will push back a bit, because the butter amount itself is not what caused your croissant disaster.

Short version (important)

• Croissants leak butter when lamination FAILS

• Puff pastry leaks butter when temperature control fails

• Store-bought puff has more fat than this — it just doesn’t leak because it’s laminated and baked correctly

So the question isn’t “is this too much butter?”It’s “will this dough leak butter like croissants did?”And the honest answer: much less likely — if you do 3 things right.

Let me explain clearly, then I’ll give you a lower-risk option if you still want it.

Why your croissants leaked (almost certainly)

Butter raining into the oven happens when one or more of these occur:

1. Butter melted before the dough set

   • Oven not hot enough initially

   • Dough too warm going in

2. Butter escaped the dough

   • Butter layer cracked or broke during rolling

   • Butter absorbed unevenly into dough

3. Steam couldn’t lift fast enough

   • Weak gluten structure

   • Underproofed or overproofed croissants

Croissants are the hardest laminated dough to get right because:

• Yeast fermentation weakens structure

• Proofing warms the butter

• Bake time is long enough for butter to liquefy before layers lock

Why this puff pastry behaves differently (important distinction)

Puff pastry:

• No yeast

• No proofing

• Shorter bake

• Cold → very hot oven

• Structure sets before butter fully melts

Rough puff is actually more forgiving than croissants because the butter is distributed, not one giant slab.

This is why professional kitchens use puff daily without smoking out the place.

BUT — I agree with your instinct on one thing

You are right that home ovens + big butter chunks + weak heat = risk.

So here’s how we reduce risk without killing layers.

Safe Version (Still Very Close to Store-Bought)

Change ONE thing only:

Reduce butter slightly, not drastically.

Revised butter amount

➡️ 425 g butter instead of 500 g

That’s still 85% butter-to-flour, which is very high and squarely in puff territory.

Plus: 4 non-negotiable safety rules

1. Dough must be COLD

Before baking:

• Chill shaped pastry 15–20 minutes

• Dough should feel firm, not bendy

2. Oven must be HOT before it goes in

• Preheat 220°C / 425°F for a full 20 minutes

• Not “oven says it’s ready”

3. Use a lined tray + lower rack buffer

• Line tray well (parchment or silicone)

• Optional: empty sheet pan on rack below to catch drips

This alone prevents smoke alarms.

4. Don’t over-egg wash edges

Egg on edges = seals layers = butter looks for escape routes

What NOT to worry about

• The butter amount alone will not cause a flood

• Puff pastry does not behave like croissants

• Store-bought puff contains emulsifiers that hide leaks — yours just shows them

Reality check (pushing back, gently)

If butter leaking automatically meant failure, no one could bake puff pastry at home.The smell disaster you had was a process issue, not a fat issue.

You’re doing the right thing by being cautious — just don’t solve the wrong problem.

My recommendation for you

Use:

• 500 g flour

• 425 g butter

• Same method as before

• Extra cold + extra hot oven

This will give you:

• Clean lift

• Minimal butter runoff

• No smoke trauma

If you want, tell me:

• What exactly smoked last time (tray? oven floor?)

• What you’re baking tonight (tart vs hand pies)

I’ll tune rack position + timing so this doesn’t happen again.

Me:

Yes please rewrite with fine tuning and emphasize where I need to pay attention 

ChatGPT:

Got it. Below is a clean, rewritten version of the recipe, tuned to be as close as possible to store-bought puff pastry while explicitly minimizing butter leakage and smoke risk. I’m going to be very direct about where things usually go wrong and exactly what to watch.

This is not a shortcut recipe — it’s a controlled, low-risk rough puff.

Ultra-Close Rough Puff Pastry (Home-Oven Safe Version)

Designed to avoid butter runoff, smoke alarms, and oven mess

Yield

2 large sheets (double batch)

Total time

About 2½ hours, flexibleActive work: ~35 minutesResting/chilling: most of the time

You can start in the morning and bake in the evening — ideal.

Ingredients (fine-tuned)

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp fine salt

• 425 g unsalted butter, VERY cold

• 240–270 ml ice-cold water (1–1⅛ cups)

• 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

Why 425 g butter:Still firmly in puff-pastry territory, but slightly lower than commercial formulas to reduce runoff in home ovens without sacrificing layers.

Step 1: Butter prep (do not rush)

Cut butter into 2–3 cm chunks.

Freeze for 10 minutes.

Pay attention here:Butter must be hard, not flexible. If you can bend it, it’s too warm.

Step 2: Food processor mixing (critical control point)

⚠️ Do this in two batches unless you have a very large processor.

For each half:

1. Add 250 g flour + 1 tsp salt → pulse once

2. Add half the frozen butter → pulse 4–6 times only

You want:

• Large butter shards

• Flat pieces

• NO sandy texture

Add:

• 120 ml water + ½ tsp acid

• Pulse 2–3 times max

Dump both batches together and gently press into a rough mass.

STOP when it looks ugly.Smooth dough = leaked butter later.

Step 3: First lamination (structure building)

Lightly flour the surface.

1. Press dough into a rectangle

2. Roll gently to about 20 × 30 cm

3. Fold into thirds (letter fold)

4. Rotate 90°

5. Roll once more

6. Fold again

Wrap tightly.Chill 30 minutes.

Pay attention:If butter starts smearing or oozing, stop immediately and chill longer.

Step 4: Second lamination (layer definition)

Repeat exactly:

• Roll → fold

• Rotate → roll → fold

Wrap.Chill 30 minutes.

At this stage, layers are already forming.

Step 5: Final lamination (store-bought effect)

Roll once more.Fold once only.

Wrap tightly.

Chill at least 1 hour, preferably 3–5 hours.

This long rest is what stabilizes the butter and prevents oven leaks.

Before baking (this is where disasters are prevented)

Non-negotiable checklist

• Dough is cold and firm

• Kitchen is not hot

• Oven is fully preheated (see below)

If dough feels soft or floppy → chill 15 minutes more.

Oven setup (very important)

1. Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F for a full 20 minutes

2. Place an empty sheet pan on the rack below your baking rack(This catches drips and prevents smoke)

3. Line baking tray well with parchment

Shaping & baking rules

• Roll dough 3 mm thick

• Keep edges clean (don’t squash layers)

• Egg wash only the top — never the cut edges

• Chill shaped pastry 15–20 minutes before baking

Bake:

• 220°C / 425°F

• Middle rack

• Until deeply golden and fully puffed

Do not lower the temperature early — weak heat = melted butter before structure sets.

Why this will NOT repeat your croissant incident

Key differences:

• No yeast

• No proofing

• Cold dough straight to hot oven

• Shorter bake window

• Distributed butter, not one slab

Croissants fail when butter melts before structure forms.This dough is designed so structure forms first.

Final reality check (direct, honest)

• Butter amount alone does not cause leaks

• Temperature + timing do

• This version balances lamination with home-oven reality

If butter drips a little, that’s normal.If it floods, something was warm or under-heated — not “too much butter.”

If you tell me what you’re baking (savory tart, borekas, pinwheels, hand pies), I’ll dial in:

• Ideal thickness

• Docking or not

• Exact bake timeso you get lift without grease, every time.

Me:

I have a 12 cup ninja food processor. Do I still need to separate? Also, can you be a little more descriptive in the folding mechanism? Do I just fold one third into the center of the 2 thirds, then fold the other third over? Then when I rotate 90 degrees, should I roll until it's a perfect square and repeat the 3 fold process? Update recipe accordingly

ChatGPT:

Great questions — and you’re asking exactly the right details. I’ll answer directly, push back where needed, and then give you an updated, crystal-clear recipe.

1. Do you need to split the batch with a 12-cup Ninja?

Yes — you should still split it.Not because the bowl is too small, but because Ninja processors are very powerful and warm fast.

What goes wrong if you don’t split:

• Butter shreds too fine

• Butter smears instead of staying in shards

• Dough becomes homogeneous → fewer layers → more butter leakage later

Best practice:Process half the dough at a time, then combine by hand.

This is about butter integrity, not capacity.

2. Folding — precise, visual explanation (no guessing)

You are correct in spirit, but the details matter. Here’s the exact motion.

What “fold into thirds like a letter” means

Imagine the dough rectangle is facing you like a book.

[ Left third ] [ Center third ] [ Right third ]

1. Fold the left third over the center

2. Fold the right third over that

You now have a neat stack of three layers.

That is one letter fold.

3. Rotation — what exactly happens next

After the first fold:

• Turn the dough 90 degrees

• The folded seam should now run left to right, not top to bottom

You do not roll to a perfect square.

You roll until:

• The dough is again about 20 × 30 cm

• Thickness is even

• Butter is still visible

Shape precision does not matter. Layer integrity does.

Then you repeat the same letter fold.

That completes one full turn (two folds).

Updated Recipe (clarified + fine-tuned)

Ultra-Close Rough Puff Pastry (Home-Oven Safe)

Yield

2 large sheets

Ingredients

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp fine salt

• 425 g unsalted butter, very cold

• 240–270 ml ice-cold water

• 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

Step 1: Butter prep

Cut butter into 2–3 cm cubes.Freeze 10 minutes.

Butter must be hard, not bendable.

Step 2: Food processor (DO IN TWO HALVES)

For EACH half:

1. Add 250 g flour + 1 tsp salt → pulse once

2. Add half the butter → pulse 4–6 times ONLY

You want:

• Large butter shards

• Flat pieces

• No sandy texture

3. Add 120 ml water + ½ tsp acid

4. Pulse 2–3 times max, just until clumps form

Dump both halves together on the counter and gently press into one rough mass.

Do not knead.

Step 3: First turn (two folds)

Lightly flour surface.

1. Press dough into a rough rectangle

2. Roll to ~20 × 30 cm

3. Letter fold (left third → center, right third → over)

4. Rotate dough 90°

5. Roll again to ~20 × 30 cm

6. Letter fold again

Wrap tightly.Chill 30 minutes.

⚠️ If butter smears or leaks → stop and chill longer.

Step 4: Second turn (two folds)

Repeat exactly Step 3:

• Roll

• Letter fold

• Rotate

• Roll

• Letter fold

Wrap.Chill 30 minutes.

Step 5: Final fold (one fold only)

Roll once to a rectangle.Do one letter fold.

Wrap tightly.

Chill 1–5 hours (longer is better).

Before baking — critical control

• Dough must feel cold and firm

• If soft → chill 15–20 more minutes

Oven setup (prevents smoke)

1. Preheat 220°C / 425°F for 20 full minutes

2. Place an empty sheet pan on the rack below

3. Line baking tray well

Baking rules

• Roll to 3 mm thickness

• Egg wash tops only, never edges

• Chill shaped pastry 15–20 minutes

• Bake at 220°C / 425°F until deeply golden

Final push-back (important)

You do not need:

• Perfect geometry

• Ultra-thin rolling between folds

• Fear of butter amount

You do need:

• Cold dough

• Visible butter

• Hot oven

If those three are right, this will behave nothing like your croissant disaster.

If you want, tell me:

• What shape you’re making (sheet tart, hand pies, twists)

• Whether you plan to freeze half

I’ll tune thickness + bake time so you get lift without grease.

Me:

How thick should the dough be before entering the long chill? Also, I assume I can roll thinner for whatever recipe I'm using later?

ChatGPT:

Short answer: don’t roll thin before the long chill — and yes, you absolutely roll thinner later for the actual recipe.

Here’s the precise guidance, because this is one of those details that quietly makes or breaks puff.

Thickness before the long chill (after final fold)

After your final letter fold (the single fold in Step 5):

• Do NOT roll it thin

• Do NOT try to “finish” the dough

Correct thickness:

• About 2–2.5 cm (¾–1 inch) thick

• Think: a compact, folded block, not a sheet

If you press it flatter than that, two bad things happen:

1. Butter layers smear instead of resting

2. Butter warms too fast later → higher leak risk

So: fold → wrap → chill as a block

That rest is about stabilizing layers, not shaping.

What happens after the long chill (this is when you roll thin)

When you’re ready to bake:

1. Take dough from fridge

2. Let it sit 2–3 minutes just to lose fridge stiffness (not softness)

3. Roll only now to your recipe thickness

Yes — this is when you roll thinner.

Thickness guide for common uses

(All measured after the long chill)

• Classic puff / tarts / galettes:3 mm (≈ ⅛ inch)

• Borekas / hand pies:3–4 mm

• Cheese straws / twists:3 mm

• Base for filled pastries:Slightly thicker is safer than thinner

If dough resists or snaps back:

• Stop

• Chill 5–10 minutes

• Continue

That snap-back is gluten tightening, not a problem — heat fixes it.

One last important push-back

Trying to “get ahead” by rolling thin before the long chill is a common instinct — and it’s exactly how butter migration starts.

Commercial puff rests as a block, not a sheet, between turns.

You’re doing this the right way.

If you want, tell me what you’re baking first with this dough tonight, and I’ll tell you:

• Exact thickness

• Whether to dock

• Where to place it in the oven

so you get lift without butter puddles.

Me:

Can you update recipe just to also include thickness?

ChatGPT:

Absolutely. Below is the same recipe, but now explicitly annotated with thickness at every stage, so there’s no guessing or “is this right?” moments.

Nothing else changes — this is just clarity and control.

Ultra-Close Rough Puff Pastry (Home-Oven Safe, Thickness-Controlled)

Yield

2 large sheets

Total time

~2½ hours (mostly chilling)

Ingredients

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp fine salt

• 425 g unsalted butter, very cold

• 240–270 ml ice-cold water

• 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

Step 1: Butter prep

Cut butter into 2–3 cm cubes.Freeze 10 minutes.

Target: butter must be hard and brittle, not bendy.

Step 2: Food processor (two halves — required)

For each half:

1. Add 250 g flour + 1 tsp salt → pulse once

2. Add half the butter → pulse 4–6 times ONLY

Target texture:Large butter shards (almond-size or larger), flour still loose.

3. Add 120 ml water + ½ tsp acid

4. Pulse 2–3 times max, just until clumps form

Combine both halves on the counter.Press gently into a rough mass — do not knead.

Step 3: First turn (structure building)

Rolling thickness & size

• Roll to ~20 × 30 cm

• Thickness: ~1 cm (⅜ inch)

Folding

1. Fold left third over center

2. Fold right third over that (letter fold)

Rotate dough 90°.

Repeat:

• Roll again to ~20 × 30 cm, ~1 cm thick

• Letter fold again

Wrap tightly.Chill 30 minutes.

⚠️ If butter smears or melts → stop and chill longer.

Step 4: Second turn (layer definition)

Repeat Step 3 exactly:

• Roll to ~20 × 30 cm

• Thickness: ~1 cm

• Letter fold

• Rotate 90°

• Roll again to ~1 cm

• Letter fold

Wrap.Chill 30 minutes.

Step 5: Final fold (stability phase)

• Roll once to ~1 cm thickness

• Do ONE letter fold only

Final block thickness (important)

• 2–2.5 cm (¾–1 inch) thick

• Compact, rectangular block

Wrap tightly.

Chill 1–5 hours (longer rest = safer bake).

Rolling for baking (after long chill)

Let dough sit 2–3 minutes to lose fridge stiffness.

Roll according to use:

• Classic puff / tarts / galettes: 3 mm (⅛ inch)

• Borekas / hand pies: 3–4 mm

• Cheese straws / twists: ~3 mm

If dough snaps back → chill 5–10 minutes, then continue.

Oven setup (butter-leak prevention)

1. Preheat 220°C / 425°F for 20 full minutes

2. Place empty sheet pan on rack below

3. Line baking tray well

Baking rules

• Cold dough → hot oven

• Egg wash tops only, never edges

• Chill shaped pastry 15–20 minutes

• Bake until deeply golden at 220°C / 425°F

Final reassurance

You are not over-buttering this dough.You are controlling it.

Thickness control + temperature control = no smoke, clean lift.

If you want, tell me exactly what you’re baking first and I’ll dial in:

• Docking or not

• Exact bake time

• Rack position

Me:

Not sure about the first fold it was kinda crumbly. I think I need an extra fold. Also can I keep it for longer in the fridge between folds or is the 30 mins important?

ChatGPT:

This is a good observation — and you’re not doing anything wrong. I’m going to push back a little, but also adjust the method so it works with what you’re seeing.

1. Crumbly on the first fold = normal (within limits)

On the very first turn, rough puff often looks:

• Dry at the edges

• Crumbly or cracked when folding

• Like it “doesn’t want to be dough yet”

That’s expected because:

• Butter is still in hard chunks

• Gluten hasn’t aligned

• Hydration hasn’t fully equalized

What matters:After you fold and press, it should hold together as a slab, even if the edges are rough.

When it’s actually a problem

It’s a problem only if:

• It completely breaks apart into pieces

• You cannot roll it without shattering

If that happened, the fix is not more folding yet — it’s slightly more hydration.

👉 You can sprinkle 1–2 tsp ice water, press it in, and continue.

2. Do you need an extra fold early?

Not at the crumbly stage.Extra folds before the dough is cohesive can actually tear butter and worsen leakage later.

Correct sequence

• First turn may look ugly

• Second turn is where it becomes cohesive

• Third turn is where it starts behaving like puff

If after the second turn it’s still crumbly → then yes, add one extra turn later, not earlier.

3. Can you chill longer than 30 minutes?

Absolutely — longer is safer.30 minutes is the minimum, not a maximum.

You can:

• Chill 45–60 minutes between turns

• Pause for hours if life happens

• Even refrigerate overnight mid-process

Longer chilling:

• Hydrates flour more evenly

• Re-firms butter

• Reduces leak risk

The only downside is time, not quality.

Updated guidance (important adjustments)

Between turns

• Minimum: 30 minutes

• Ideal: 45–60 minutes

• If dough feels warm or fragile: wait longer

Cold dough is your safety net.

If first turn is crumbly — do THIS

1. Complete the fold anyway

2. Press gently to seal cracks (don’t knead)

3. Wrap tightly

4. Chill 45–60 minutes (not 30)

On the next turn:

• Roll gently

• It should already feel more unified

When an extra turn actually helps

Add one extra full turn (roll + fold + rotate + roll + fold) only if:

• After the second turn, the dough still cracks badly

• Butter pieces feel unevenly distributed

If you add it:

• Chill at least 45 minutes afterward

• Do not roll thinner than 1 cm during turns

More folds ≠ better if butter warms.

Final push-back (important)

Crumbly ≠ wrong.Crumbly + warm = wrong.

You’re better off:

• Fewer, cleaner folds

• Colder doughthan forcing smoothness early.

Bottom line

• No extra fold during the first turn

• Longer chilling is completely fine (and often better)

• Extra fold is acceptable later, not now

If you want, tell me:

• Did it crack or fully break apart?

• Did butter feel hard or soft?

I’ll tell you exactly whether to add water, add a fold, or just chill and continue.

Scroll to the top or click below for the final recipe.

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