-
Cut the cold butter into slices and arrange it in the middle of a large piece of baking/greaseproof paper, in an approximately square shape.
-
Fold all four sides of the baking paper over the butter, so that you get an approximately 8 inch (20cm) baking paper square that completely encloses the butter.
-
Flip it over, so that the baking paper folds point downwards, and firmly hit the butter with a rolling pin. Make sure to hit it with the rolling pin all over and in all directions.
-
-
Once slightly softened, roll the rolling pin firmly over the butter block, so that you get the butter into all the edges and corners of the baking paper square. Make sure that the butter is of an even thickness all over.
-
You should be left with an 8 inch (20cm) butter block that’s fairly malleable/pliable (you should be able to gently bend it) without being too soft or squidgy.
Tip: If your kitchen is very warm, you can chill it briefly in the fridge for about 5 minutes, but you don’t want it to firm up too much. (I didn’t need to chill it at all, and my kitchen was at a pleasant 70ºF (20ºC)).
Laminating the gluten free Danish pastry – first book fold:
-
Lightly flour your work surface.
Tip: I like to work on a large piece of baking/greaseproof paper, as this allows me to slide the dough onto a baking sheet and into the fridge at any point, if the dough or pastry feels too warm or too soft. I recommend you do the same, especially if this is your first time making gluten free Danish pastry (and also if your kitchen is on the warmer side).
-
Place the dough onto the floured surface and sprinkle it with flour. Roll it out into an approximately 8×16 inch (20x40cm) rectangle, so that the shorter side is closest to you. At regular intervals, check whether the butter block fits comfortably onto the rolled-out dough. The dough should be a few millimetres wider than the butter block, but not by much.
While you’re rolling, make sure that the dough isn’t stuck to the surface, by sliding your hands under it and gently lifting it up.
-
Once you’re happy with the size of the dough, place the butter block on one half of the dough and peel away the baking paper. Fold the other half of the dough over the butter block, end to end, enclosing it completely.
-
Turn the dough by 90 degrees, so that the two opposite “open ends” of the pastry point towards and away from you.
-
Use the rolling pin to gently “tap” the pastry all over – that is, gently press down on the pastry with the rolling pin at regular intervals along the length of the dough. This will ensure that the butter block adheres well to the dough and that it rolls out evenly together with the dough, rather than in uneven patches.
-
Roll out the dough into an approximately 8×22 inch (20x55cm) rectangle. This doesn’t have to be very precise, you just want to make sure that the rectangle is long enough to easily make the book fold in the next step.
While you’re rolling, make sure that the dough isn’t stuck to the surface, by sliding your hands under it and gently lifting it up.
-
Fold the two ends of the rectangle inwards towards the middle, so that they meet in the centre. At this point, use a pastry brush to remove any excess flour. Fold this new rectangle in half (along the centre line), as if closing a thick book. You’ve just made a book fold!
-
Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Tip: Don’t chill it for any longer than that – if you do, the butter will firm up too much and will break when you roll out the pastry in the next step.
Laminating the gluten free Danish pastry – second book fold:
To continue reading, scroll down and click Next 👇👇👇
