Sourdough Puff Pastry

I know I probably should have done something for Saint Patrick’s day this week but I just can’t help but resist the commercial-ness of holidays.

So instead I decided to do something remotely unrelated to green, leprechauns or luck.

I bring to you-Sourdough Puff Pastry!

Yes, it is fermented for better digestibility.  Yes, it is not that hard to make. And yes, it is AMAZING.

I feel like once you master puff pastry the sky is the limit.  You can do SO much with puff pastry.  It makes simple dishes feel fancy. It makes people ooohh and ahhh.

But I mean why wouldn’t they??

This Sourdough Puff Pastry starts with a lean dough of just flour, water, sourdough starter and a bit of salt.  That dough is then left to ferment and let those sourdough microbes do all their hard and awesome work.  After the fermentation period that dough is rolled out and encases a block of shredded butter (grass fed of course 😉 ) in a nice doughy hug.  Then all that is left are the “turns” by which you take the dough out of the fridge every half hour to roll it and fold it.

When the final turn is performed it is placed back into the fridge one more time and then you can bake any manner of deliciousness.

This Sourdough Puff Pastry is buttery, flaky and tender.  Decadent yet light.  So much better than store bought and you’d never know it was fermented.

You can even freeze the puff pastry after the final turn for a few months.  Then you have wonderful, scrumptious, healthy(ish) Sourdough Puff Pastry ready at your whim.

Now, this Sourdough Puff Pastry isn’t hard but it does take some time (don’t all good things??) and is SO worth it.

Looking to expand your baking tools and resources?? Check out my favorite tools and books here!

I also apologize for how many pictures this post includes but I really wanted to show you some visuals so as to mitigate fear of the puff.

Tips to help you succeed:

• It is important that the dough and butter are close to the same temperature and that they are COLD. The cold butter meeting the hot oven causes the liquid to evaporate suddenly from the butter and makes those beautiful layers.
• If your dough starts to feel soft, put it back in the fridge.  It just needs to cool more.
• Try not to press too hard when rolling because it can tear the dough and we don’t want that.  If the dough resists your rolling, cover it with a towel and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
• This dough can be left in the fridge for about a week. But it will increase in sourdough tang if left that long. Baked within a couple days there is no real noticeable sour flavor.
• If you choose to freeze the dough, finish the final turn and place in an air tight container.  Freeze for up to 3 months or so.  When you want to bake with it, thaw it in the fridge then roll out, shape, fill and bake!

Once you are done with this Sourdough Puff Pastry dough you can shape it and fill it however you want.  In the pictures I have made Lilac Honey Posset Sourdough Puff Pastries (how is that for a name? lol) and Sourdough Puff Pastry Bacon Twists.

But you can just stuff it with cheese and herbs, cream cheese and jams, or fresh fruit, really anything you can dream of.

Or you can of course is it for Chicken Pot Pie or Savory Pasties.

Any way you fill this Sourdough Puff Pastry is guaranteed to be amazing and you won’t be disappointed!

Sourdough Puff Pastry

This Sourdough Puff Pastry is buttery, flaky and tender.  Decadent yet light.  So much better than store bought and you’d never know it was fermented.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter
• 1/2-2/3 cup cold water
• 8 oz butter, cold and shredded

Instructions

1. Dump the flour onto a counter top. Add the salt and roughly mix in with your hands.
2. Make a well in the flour and pour the sourdough starter into the well.
3. Roughly mix in with your hands until there are clumps of starter throughout the flour.
4. Next add the water a little bit at a time, mixing with your hands after each addition.  Gather the flour back together (a dough scraper comes in handy for this) as needed so that you keep the pile of flour together as best as possible.
5. Keep adding water until you have a dough that *just* holds together.  It should be a shaggy mass that holds together but is not sticky.
6. Once the dough is holding together place in an air tight container (I actually use a zip lock bag for this and re-use it throughout the whole process).  Leave at room temp for 6-8 hours.
7. After the fermentation has finished place the dough in the fridge for an hour. At this time, shred the cold butter and place on a plate in the fridge with the dough. It is important that the butter and dough are as close to the same temperature as possible. And you want them both to stay cool.
8. After the dough has chilled take out and place on a floured counter. Roll it into an approximately 8″ square. Place the shredded butter in the center and roughly pat it into a diamond shape in the center of the square.  Make the diamond of butter go to just about a 1/2″ from the edge of the dough square.
9. Fold each edge of dough to the center and pinch the dough together so that it completely encloses the butter.
10. Flour the top of the dough and roll out into an approximately 12″ x 8″ rectangle.  Fold the right side to center then fold the left side to cover the right side. This is called a letter fold and is the first “turn”.
11. Now turn the dough 90* so that the long side is parallel to the counter. Roll again to an approximate 12″ x 8″ rectangle, then fold once again in the shape of a letter.  This is your second turn.  Place in the fridge for a half hour.
12. Repeat with the rolling and folding for two more turns.  Then place in the fridge for another half hour.  At this point it should be feeling smoother, if any butter pops through the dough rub a little flour on it.
13. Perform the final two turns, so that now you have done a total of six turns.  Place back in the fridge for another hour.  Alternatively you could freeze it in an air tight container at this point.
14. When the dough has finished it’s final chill, preheat the oven to 400*f.
15. Roll your dough to 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick then cut in whatever shape you wish and fill with whatever your heart (or taste buds) desire.
16. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

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Sourdough Puff Pastry

This Sourdough Puff Pastry is buttery, flaky and tender.  Decadent yet light.  So much better than store bought and you'd never know it was fermented.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter
• 1/2-2/3 cup cold water
• 8 oz butter cold and shredded

Instructions

1. Dump the flour onto a counter top. Add the salt and roughly mix in with your hands.
2. Make a well in the flour and pour the sourdough starter into the well.Roughly mix in with your hands until there are clumps of starter throughout the flour.
3. Next add the water a little bit at a time, mixing with your hands after each addition.  Gather the flour back together (a dough scraper comes in handy for this) as needed so that you keep the pile of flour together as best as possible.
4. Keep adding water until you have a dough that *just* holds together.  It should be a shaggy mass that holds together but is not sticky.
5. Once the dough is holding together place in an air tight container (I actually use a zip lock bag for this and re-use it throughout the whole process).  Leave at room temp for 6-8 hours.
6. After the fermentation has finished place the dough in the fridge for an hour. At this time, shred the cold butter and place on a plate in the fridge with the dough. It is important that the butter and dough are as close to the same temperature as possible. And you want them both to stay cool.
7. After the dough has chilled take out and place on a floured counter. Roll it into an approximately 8" square. Place the shredded butter in the center and roughly pat it into a diamond shape in the center of the square.  Make the diamond of butter go to just about a 1/2" from the edge of the dough square.
8. Fold each edge of dough to the center and pinch the dough together so that it completely encloses the butter.
9. Flour the top of the dough and roll out into an approximately 12" x 8" rectangle.  Fold the right side to center then fold the left side to cover the right side. This is called a letter fold and is the first "turn".
10. Now turn the dough 90* so that the long side is parallel to the counter. Roll again to an approximate 12" x 8" rectangle, then fold once again in the shape of a letter.  This is your second turn.  Place in the fridge for a half hour.
11. Repeat with the rolling and folding for two more turns.  Then place in the fridge for another half hour.  At this point it should be feeling smoother, if any butter pops through the dough rub a little flour on it.
12. Perform the final two turns, so that now you have done a total of six turns.  Place back in the fridge for another hour.  Alternatively you could freeze it in an air tight container at this point.
13. When the dough has finished it's final chill, preheat the oven to 400*f.
14. Roll your dough to 1/8" to 1/4" thick then cut in whatever shape you wish and fill with whatever your heart (or taste buds) desire.Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

What is your favorite thing to make with puff pastry?  Have you ever made puff pastry before? Tell me all about it in the comments!