Mary Berry Puff Pastry Recipe

This flaky buttery Mary Berry Puff Pastry is made with strong plain flour and cold butter and ready in 1 hour 20 minutes. Cutting into the freshly baked pastry reveals distinct, shatter-crisp layers that melt in the mouth. I love using this rough puff method because it saves time without sacrificing texture.

What I Learned Making This

My first attempt at making pastry from scratch was a disaster because I let the butter get too warm. I quickly learned that keeping everything ice cold is the only way to get those distinct layers.

I also discovered that grating the frozen butter speeds up the process significantly. It mixes into the flour much easier and prevents overworking the dough.

Mary Berry Puff Pastry Ingredients

• 250g strong plain flour
• 250g unsalted butter, frozen
• 150ml ice-cold water
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice

How To Make Mary Berry Puff Pastry

1. Mix The Dry Ingredients: Sift the strong plain flour and fine sea salt into a large, cold mixing bowl.
2. Add The Butter: Coarsely grate the frozen butter directly into the flour, dipping the butter in the flour occasionally to stop it sticking.
3. Form The Dough: Gently stir in the ice-cold water and lemon juice until the mixture just comes together into a rough dough.
4. First Roll And Fold: Tip onto a floured surface, roll into a rectangle, and fold the top third down and bottom third up like a letter.
5. Chill And Repeat: Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 20 minutes, then repeat the rolling and folding process two more times before using.

Recipe Tips

• Chill your equipment: Place your mixing bowl and rolling pin in the fridge beforehand to keep the butter from melting.
• Handle sparingly: Warm hands will melt the butter streaks, which ruins the flaky layers you want to achieve.
• Rest between folds: Chilling the dough relaxes the gluten, making it easier to roll and preventing shrinkage during baking.
• Use a sharp knife: When cutting the finished pastry, press straight down with a sharp blade so you do not seal the layers shut.

What To Serve With Puff Pastry

This versatile dough pairs perfectly with both sweet and savoury fillings. Use it to top a hearty chicken and mushroom pie, or bake it into crisp sausage rolls for a party. It also works wonderfully folded over fresh apples and cinnamon for a quick fruit turnover.

How To Store

Wrap the unbaked pastry tightly in two layers of cling film and store in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze the block of dough for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling.

FAQs

Why did my pastry shrink in the oven? Pastry shrinks when the gluten has been overworked or the dough was not rested enough. Always chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before rolling and again before baking.

Can I use plain flour instead of strong flour? Strong flour has more gluten, which provides structure for the flaky layers. You can use standard plain flour, but the pastry might be slightly more fragile.

Why is my pastry tough? Adding too much water or kneading the dough too heavily will develop the gluten too much. Bring the dough together gently until it just holds its shape.

Nutrition

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Total Fat: 34g
• Saturated Fat: 21g
• Cholesterol: 90mg
• Sodium: 200mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 32g
• Protein: 4g

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Pizza Tartlets Recipe
• Mary Berry Bacon and Gruyère Galette Recipe
• Mary Berry Quiche Lorraine Recipe