Quickest Puff Pastry
Makes about 1 1/2 lbs of dough
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , about 9 ounces
20 tablespoons unsalted butter (or 2-1/2 sticks) , cold, cut into 1/2-inch dice (4 tablespoons kept separate)
1 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons cold water , plus a tablespoon more, if necessary (I ended adding 2 tablespoons more)
Makes about 1 1/2 lbs of dough
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , about 9 ounces
20 tablespoons unsalted butter (or 2-1/2 sticks) , cold, cut into 1/2-inch dice (4 tablespoons kept separate)
1 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons cold water , plus a tablespoon more, if necessary (I ended adding 2 tablespoons more)
Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade; add
the 4 tablespoons butter; pulse until butter is absorbed, about 10 to 12
pulses of 1 second each.
Add remaining butter; pulse once or twice to distribute. Dissolve salt in water and add to flour mixture; pulse 3 or 4 times, until dough just starts to form a rough ball - do not over process. If mixture remains very dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time and pulse again.
Turn dough onto floured work surface and shape into rough rectangle, then place on top of sheet of well-floured plastic wrap measuring at least 12-by-18 inches. Lightly flour top of dough and cover with another sheet of wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make 12-by-18-inch rectangle of dough.
Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough onto floured work surface, long side facing you. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold top third of dough down and bottom third up to make 4-by-18-inch rectangle, then roll up dough from one end (like a jelly roll). Press dough into square, cut in half and wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. You could also freeze the dough at this point. For use later: make sure to defrost the frozen dough in the fridge overnight.
Add remaining butter; pulse once or twice to distribute. Dissolve salt in water and add to flour mixture; pulse 3 or 4 times, until dough just starts to form a rough ball - do not over process. If mixture remains very dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time and pulse again.
Turn dough onto floured work surface and shape into rough rectangle, then place on top of sheet of well-floured plastic wrap measuring at least 12-by-18 inches. Lightly flour top of dough and cover with another sheet of wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make 12-by-18-inch rectangle of dough.
Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough onto floured work surface, long side facing you. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold top third of dough down and bottom third up to make 4-by-18-inch rectangle, then roll up dough from one end (like a jelly roll). Press dough into square, cut in half and wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. You could also freeze the dough at this point. For use later: make sure to defrost the frozen dough in the fridge overnight.
To make the French apple tarts: Roll out the cold puff pastry
dough to about 1/8-inch thickness and cut in to desired shape. [I cut
mine with a large rectangle cookie cutter.] Slide on to a cookie sheet
and refrigerate for about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prick dough all over with a fork. Place a
few slices of peeled, cored Granny Smith apple on top. Bake for about
20 minutes or until dough is puffed and golden brown. Brush with melted
apple jelly to add a bit of sweetness and give the tarts a nice shine.