Flaky Pastry - How to Make Flaky Pastry

A delicious and rich pastry used for sweet and savoury pies, eg sausage rolls and cream slices. A little harder to make than most pastries as the flaky texture is achieved by kneading lightly, then folding and rolling the dough with dabs of the fat between to produce air pockets and help to separate the flakes.

Ingredients:

• 9 oz (253 g) plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 3 oz (84 g) butter or margarine
• 3 oz (84 g) lard or hard vegetable fat
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Water

Method:

1. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl.
2. Divide the fat into 4 portions, so that there are two equal portions of lard and two equal portion of butter (or margarine).
3. Take one portion of lard and rub unto the flour.
4. Add the lemon juice and sufficient water to mix to a stiff dough. Turn on to a lightly floured board and knead lightly.
5. Roll out to a strip and flake one portion of the butter (or margarine) over two-thirds of the strip of pastry, leaving a slight margin along the top and sides.
6. Fold the pastry into three, folding over the uncovered third of the pastry first. Seal the edges with the rolling pin. Give the pastry a half turn and leave in a cool place for 20 minutes.
7. Continue rolling and folding using next a portion of large and finally a portion of butter until the pastry has been rolled and folded 4 times.
8. Leave again a cool place for 20 minutes.
9. Roll and use for sweet or savoury pastries.

Pastry Making Guides & Information

• Basic Guide to Making Pastry
• Making Filo Pastry
• Making Cheese Pastry
• Making Choux Pastry
• Making Flaky Pastry
• Making Fleur Pastry
• Making Hot Water Pastry
• Making Potato Pastry
• Making Puff Pastry
• Making Rough Puff Pastry
• Making Short Crust Pastry
• Making Suet Pastry