Basic Puff Pastry

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Basic Puff Pastry
Categories: Pies
Yield: 8 servings

1/4 c Butter
1 3/4 c All-purpose flour; chilled
1/2 c Water; cold
3/4 c Butter; softened
1/4 c All-purpose flour; chilled

Recipe by: Southern Living
Preparation Time: 1:00
Cut 1/4 cup butter into 1-3/4 cups flour with pastry
blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle cold
water (1 tablespoon at a time) evenly over surface; stir
with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Shape into
a ball, and wrap in waxed paper. Chill 15 minutes. Combine
3/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour; stir until smooth. Shape
mixture into a 6-inch square on waxed paper. Chill 5
minutes.

Roll pastry into a 15-inch circle on a lightly floured
surface; place chilled butter mixture in center of pastry.
Fold left side of pastry over butter; fold right side of
pastry over left. Fold upper and lower edges of pastry
over butter, making a thick square. Working quickly, place
dough, folded side down, on a lightly floured surface; roll
dough into a 20- x 8-inch rectangle. Fold rectangle into
thirds, beginning with short side. Roll pastry into
another 20- x 8-inch rectangle; again fold rectangle into
thirds. Wrap dough in wax paper, and chill about 2 hours.
Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling process 2 additional
times. Chill for 2 hours. Yield: one recipe Basic Puff
Pastry.

-----