- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional, for extra flakiness)
Next, make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the cold water and lemon juice. Mix everything together gently with your hands until a dough starts to form. Be careful not to overwork it.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it briefly, just until it comes together. Flatten the dough into a rough rectangle shape. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let it chill.
Once chilled, roll the dough out into a long rectangle. Fold it into thirds like a letter, then wrap it again and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this rolling and folding process two more times for a total of three folds. This process creates the layers in the puff pastry.
After the final fold, the dough is ready to use for your puff pastry recipe. It can be kept in the fridge for a day or two, or frozen for longer storage. Once ready to use, roll it out and shape it according to your needs.