Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is the butter block, or beurrage, that gets laminated into puff pastry dough. It is nothing more than butter beaten with a small amount of bread flour, and that little bit of flour is the whole trick: it stabilises the butter so the block stays pliable instead of splitting or melting into the dough while you roll and fold.
Worked to the right consistency it should feel like firm modelling clay, cool but bendable, so it stretches with the dough rather than breaking into pieces. That is what gives puff pastry its clean, even layers and the tall, flaky rise you are after. Make it ahead, keep it chilled, and bring it to the same firmness as your dough before you start folding.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 675
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: butter block for one home batch of puff pastry dough, about 675 g
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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75 |
2.6 ounces
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Bread Flour
Bread flour is a strong wheat flour with a higher protein content than plain or cake flour. In a heavy, fruit-laden batter like this one it gives the crumb enough structure to hold the banana and pineapple without sinking.
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sifted |
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B
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600 |
21.1 ounces
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Butter
Butter is a solid dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk, to separate the butterfat from the buttermilk. It is generally used as a spread on plain or toasted bread products and a condiment on cooked vegetables, as well as in cooking, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, milk proteins and water.
unsalted
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cold but pliable, diced |
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675
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Take B (unsalted butter) out of the fridge and cut it into small cubes. Let it sit just long enough to bend without cracking, but do not let it soften or go greasy. |
Cool to the touch, around 14–16°C, firm but pliable |
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2 |
Mix |
Put B and A (unsalted butter and bread flour) into a mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until the flour has completely disappeared into the butter. In a commercial mixer the chef works about 6 kg at a time; at home do it in one lot, or by hand with a spatula on the bench. |
Smooth, even and pale, with no streaks of dry flour and no lumps of hard butter |
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3 |
Shape |
Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of baking paper or plastic film, press it into a flat square or rectangle about 1.5–2 cm thick, and fold the paper over to keep the edges square. |
Even thickness all over, square corners, no air pockets |
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4 |
Rest |
Refrigerate the wrapped block and leave it to rest and set. |
At least 1 hour, until firm right through but still bending without snapping |
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5 |
Use |
Before laminating, knock the block gently with a rolling pin so it is the same firmness as your puff pastry dough, then enclose it in the dough and begin the folds. |
Butter and dough equally pliable, so the layers roll out evenly instead of breaking |
Important Notes
Makes about 675 g of butter block, enough to laminate roughly 1 kg of puff pastry dough. The chef's note on the sheet is simply "mix and leave" — the resting time in the fridge is as important as the mixing, because the block has to firm up before it meets the dough. Keep it wrapped in the fridge and use within 3–4 days, or freeze it for up to a month and thaw overnight in the fridge. Always bring the block back to the same firmness as the dough before rolling: butter that is too cold will shatter into shards and butter that is too warm will be absorbed and you will lose your layers.
Tools & Arrangements
Electric mixer with paddle attachment (or a bowl and sturdy spatula), digital scales, sieve, baking paper or plastic film, rolling pin, refrigerator space for a flat block
