Alex Rast wrote:
>This baffles me. I've been experimenting with puff pastry. It's easy eno=
ugh=20
>to get perfect puff pastry with classic French technique : 2 cups flour,=
1=20
>cup butter, enough water to make a rather moist, smooth dough. Pat the=20
>butter into a flat square, roll the dough into a mound with 4 "wings", s=
et=20
>butter on the mound, fold wings into the center, roll, fold in thirds, t=
urn=20
>90 degrees, roll again, fold in thirds, chill, repeat folding rolling an=
d=20
>chilling procedure 2 times. Presto! Foolproof results.
>
>But when I made what seems like a trivial modification (folding the doug=
h=20
>in 4 parts, by folding in half one way and then in half the other, befor=
e=20
>rolling), the results were completely different. Since the 4-fold method=
=20
>will increase the layer count, I only figured I'd need to do the last=20
>repeat for 1 folding instead of 2, ending up with 1024 theoretical layer=
s=20
>(instead of 1458. Big deal). But instead of flaky, the results are=20
>consistently a firmer, more pie-crust like texture - no layers to speak =
of,=20
>no puffing! Can somebody explain how the difference in folding method ca=
n=20
>have such a drastic effect on the final result?
> =20
>
Because, there are only so many distinctively separate layers you can=20
can create, before the layers meld into each other.
Especially if the gluten is too much developed and rolling in becomes a=20
bear, or the butter gets too warm.
Plus, the first roll-in layers, that are usually not counted, could=20
influence the result dramatically.
Start with 4 layers or more
End up with 1024 (or more) with 4 bookfolds, also called double turns.
That is the max IMHO that the dough can handle, even with a very strong=20
bread flour.
Start with only 3 layers
End up with 768 with 4 bookfolds, better for A/P flours and used for=20
pastry casings.
If you do 6 x triples (also called single fold), you end up with 2187=20
layers, way too many to create still distinctive layers, more like a=20
flaky pie-dough. But OK for Napoleons or Palmiers.
Most pasty chefs use 2 x tri-fold and 2 or 3 x book-fold, for best=20
results. Depending on useage. More for Napoleons and the lesser amount=20
for pastry casings.
BTW, the ratios are
100% flour
55-60% water
2 % salt
100% butter
5% of the flour is kneaded into the butter and 5% of the butter is=20
kneaded into the dough.
Makes for better handling.
The gluten in the dough is developed during the roll-in procedure.
Don't let the dough get too warm during roll-in, or you get pie-dough.
If the butter is too cold, it will destroy the layers, the dough will=20
rise unevenly,crooked during baking.
--=20
Sincerly,
C=3D=A6-)=A7 H. W. Hans Kuntze, CMC, S.g.K. (_o_)
http://www.cmcchef.com , chef<AT>cmcchef.com
"Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it Happened"
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