Flour Dough with Butter

Introduction

You start with 1000 g flour, 250 g water, and a small amount of butter to build the base dough, then lock the remaining butter into an equilateral cross before an overnight chill. The repeated rolling and simple tours create a laminated dough with distinct layers, useful for pastries, savory bakes, or freezer prep.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 50 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Servings: 16

Ingredients

• 1000 g flour
• 250 g water
• 400 g butter (or margarine)

Instructions

1. Mix flour, water and 50 g of the butter to make a dough. Knead well.
2. Roll dough into a ball. Make a deep cut through the middle, and a second cut at a right angle again through the middle. Roll out the resulting four ends to about half the thickness of the base. It should now have the form of an equilateral cross.
3. Cream butter until soft. Spread onto the middle part of the cross, forming approximately a cube.
4. Take each end of the "cross", lift it, and fold it on the top of the butter cube, literally wrapping it up like a gift. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Take dough and start rolling it out, always rolling in one direction, until about 10 cm long. During the whole process, use as little flour as possible, and gently remove excessive flour with a brush.
6. Perform a so-called "simple tour": take one end of the dough and fold it two-thirds of the dough's length toward the other end. Now, take the other end and fold it the opposite way. You should now have three layers of dough.
7. Roll the dough out again, moving the rolling pin along the folded sides (i.e. rotate the dough 45 degrees).
8. Repeat the folding and rolling process up to 5 times. The more often you do this, the more layers you will get, and the higher the dough will rise once baked.

Variations

• Use margarine instead of butter for the full 400 g if you want a dairy-free version. The dough will usually be a little easier to handle cold, with a less rich flavor than butter.
• Replace 200 g of the flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier taste and a slightly denser final bake. The layers will still form, but the dough will rise a bit less.
• Use bread flour in place of standard flour if you want a stronger dough that resists tearing during the turns. The finished pastry will be slightly chewier.
• Stop after 3 simple tours instead of going up to 5 if you want thicker, more distinct layers and less rolling time. The dough will bake up with less height.
• Chill the wrapped dough for 4 to 6 hours instead of overnight if you need to shorten the schedule. The dough will still laminate, but it may spring back more when you roll it.

Tips for Success

• When you spread the softened butter onto the center of the cross, keep it away from the edges so the dough can seal around it.
• Use as little flour as possible during rolling, and brush off excess before each fold. Extra flour between layers creates dry seams.
• Roll in one direction as written, then rotate the dough 45 degrees for the next pass. That keeps the layers even and helps the dough stay square or rectangular.
• If the butter starts softening or pushing through during the turns, wrap the dough and chill it for 20 to 30 minutes before continuing.
• After the overnight chill, the dough should feel firm but still bend slightly under the rolling pin. If it feels too hard, leave it at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes.

Storage and Reheating

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.

For frozen dough, thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling or shaping. Raw laminated dough is not something you reheat on its own; if you bake it into pastries first, reheat those in a 180°C/350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, uncovered, to crisp the layers again.

FAQ

Why does the dough need to refrigerate overnight?

The overnight rest firms the butter and relaxes the dough, which makes the next round of rolling easier. It also helps keep the layers separate instead of smearing together.

What should you do if the butter starts leaking out while rolling?

Stop and chill the dough until the butter firms up again. If you keep rolling while it is soft, the layers will blend and you will lose lift.

Can you use margarine instead of butter?

Yes. Choose a firm baking margarine rather than a soft tub spread, since it needs to hold its shape during the folds.

Do you need all 5 turns?

No. Three turns will still give you laminated layers, but the dough will rise less and the layers will be thicker. Five turns give you a finer, higher lift once baked.