Puff pastry p.283/283 & Pithivier p.285/285

Puff pastry followed by pithivier using the prepared puff pastry.

So I will be learning the basics of making puff pastry ... which will have to wait until Friday ... you should always have something to look forward to ...

Mmmmm - Friday came and I was up to eye balls in cake batter making last minute cakes for friends - so it is postponed until Sunday / Monday - and that is a definite date - an early Valentine get together for me and my readers :)  I live such a romantic lifestyle X

It's Sunday evening and I finally get the flour into the fridge to chill as instructed in the method ... so we wait for the chilling to complete which is reminding me to chill a little too and so I will once dinner has been dished up ... the day needs more hours to it - but it's all relative to age - will be back with photos too :)

Flour chilled - I used as stated in the recipe strong plain flour - I do believe Paul Hollywood uses Allinsons and he's right because quality goods do make a difference - and plain flour :

 

 

I mixed it, by hand, with a pinch of salt, two large eggs and 100mls of cold water to form a ball of dough.  This is a lovely relaxing way of mixing ingredients - turning from a wet gloopy mix to a ball of dough which initially is sticky and does stick to your fingers.  I then took it out of the bowl and  I then kneaded for 5-10 minutes which resulted in quite a tight ball :

I then put the dough into a plastic bag :

 and have just placed it into the fridge to really rest and chill overnight ( or at least 7 hours ).
Tomorrow awaits ... Monday arrived and so did other cooking commitments so the chilling took longer than anticipated  however puff pastry on its way :)

So I took my chilled unsalted butter and placed between two sheets of cling film - but be aware the cling film may tear, so makes sure there are no stray pieces of cling film sticking to the butter.

Flatten in with a rolling pin to approx. 40 cms X 19 cms.  Then place it covered with cling film back into the fridge to chill for an hour.

After that time get out your pastry dough and on a lightly floured surface roll it out to approx 60 cms X 20 cms.  The place your flattened butter onto the top two thirds ensuring it is placed just inside the edges :

 Fold the bottom third up and then the top third down - you have a sandwich of thre layers of pastry and two of butter.  Ensure the edges are sealed. Place back into the bag and then into the fridge for 1 hour.

After the hour remove the pastry dough from the fridge and roll it out into a rectangle keeping the edges as even as possible. 

 

 This time fold the bottom quarter up and top quarter down :

 

then fold along the middle line so top and bottom meet - this is known as a book turn :



 

Place it back into a plastic bag and once place it the fridge for another hour.

Once more take the pastry dough out of the fridge :

 Again, with the short edge facing you, roll into a rectangle and fold up the bottom third and top third down.  This a single turn - place it back into the bag and then into the fridge overnight.

 

Tomorrow - the Pithivier.

So we get to Tuesday and the Pithivier.

Grease and line your baking tray with parchment or greaseproof paper.

 



Now cream the butter and caster sugar. then add the eggs and orange zest - then fold in the ground almonds and flour.

 

 

Roll out half of the pastry until it is 3mm in thickness ... maybe I should say thinness ...

then using a large dinner plate as your template cut a disc 28 cms in diameter.

Place it on your baking tray and then put the filling you made onto the disc or pastry but leaving a 2cm border which you must brush with egg wash.



 

 

 

Now roll out thre top exactly as you did the bottom circle and place it over the top - press the edges so they are set firmly together.

 

Place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

 

 Heat your oven in the meantime to 220 - gas mark 6/7.  Brush the pastry with the remaining egg wash and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

You may find that some of the butter leeches out (reduced fat pastry!) but maybe this shouldn't happen - I'll continue to work on this.

Let the pithivier cool then dust it with icing sugar (confectioner's sugar in the USA).

Then cut yourself a slice for QC (Quality Control).

 

 It is, as I say sooooo moreish .. maybe another slice :)