How To Make Quick and Easy Flaky Pastry. Simple to follow instructions, great for pies, strudels, turnovers, and freezer friendly too!
Don't go buying the shop stuff!
Now there's no need because here, we show you an easy step by step guide for how you can make some delicious flaky pastry which will take your breath away! It's amazing!
This is a really easy and quick recipe. Low-cost ingredients, delicious, light, crispy pastry, and a sure way to impress your family and friends! Go ahead and try it!
This site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, check Privacy Policy.
People are often frightened to make pastry, or pie dough. It can be daunting, overwhelming, tricky, and let's face it, it can be easier to just buy ready made pastry from the supermarket, no mess, no recipe needed, just roll and use...and of course nowadays, you can get pastry that is ready rolled!
So why should I bother sharing a pastry recipe with you? Well, once you've made your own pastry, it is very unlikely you will go back to the shop bought stuff. For one thing, it's cheaper to make your own flaky pastry, you know exactly what ingredients you are putting into your pastry, and the flavors and textures are really like no shop pastry!
Trust me, you will feel a sense of achievement, satisfaction, and a mini ego boost if you make your own pastry!
This recipe for flaky pastry is by far an easy one, even for a complete novice. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions, and let the ingredients do the work!
Flaky pastry has certain characteristics, similar to rough puff and puff pastry, in that you will end up with.....yep, flaky, light layers of pastry with a beautiful thin crisp crust.
TOP TIPS!
You have to make sure of two things when you make this pastry.
1. Cool working conditions (don't go trying this in a heatwave!)
2. The oven MUST have reached the correct temperature, i.e. it must be hot when the pastry first goes in.
The idea of flaky pastry is to incorporate thin layers of fat between the layers of dough, encasing as much air as possible.
When the pastry is placed in the oven, this trapped air expands and lifts each thin layer of pastry separately. You get the idea...?
So...are you ready?
It's easy, just follow the steps and hey presto! you will have learned how to make your very own quick and easy flaky pastry!
If you enjoy sweet pastry recipes, check out our easy honey baklava recipe. It's so good!
If you'd like to learn about the types of pastry, we also have a lovely Shortcrust pastry tutorial and a French Sweet Pastry (for tarts) recipe so be sure to check those out!
Prep Time
15 minutes plus 30 minutes chill time
Cook Time
20 - 40 minutes (depending on what you are using the pastry for!)
Yield
10 servings
This recipe will make 1 sheet of pastry, 3-4 mm thick, measuring 30 cm x 12 cm
Ingredients you'll need
- Butter at room temperature
- Plain / All purpose flour (sieved)
- Salt
- Cold water
- Sugar if making a sweet dish.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix the sieved flour and salt in a bowl. (add sugar if using)
2. Weigh out the butter and divide into 4 amounts.
3. Add one portion of the butter to the flour and using a round-bladed knife, incorporate the butter and flour, whilst slowly adding enough cold water until the mixture comes together to form an elastic dough.
4. Dust the rolling surface with flour, and turn the dough out. Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape (see photo) and keep rolling, adding more flour if necessary to stop from sticking, until the dough is about 4 mm thickness.
5. Rub any excess flour from the surface and using the next portion of butter, dot the butter (about 1 cm dots) on two-thirds of the rolled out pastry evenly. (see photo).
6. Fold the pastry into three portions, bringing the end without butter to the center, then folding down the other third. (see photo)
7. Press together pastry edges with your fingers, give the pastry half a turn and roll out lightly again until the pastry is 4 mm thick (same size before you dotted with butter).
8. Repeat steps 5 - 7 twice more, then fold into three, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Whilst the pastry is resting in the fridge, set your oven temperature to 200C, 400F, gas mark 6 if using pastry as a pie with filling.
Cooking time about 20 - 35 minutes.
If just cooking the pastry on its own, such as vol au vents, oven temperature should be 230C, 450F, gas Mark 8, cooking time about 8-10 minutes
Before placing in the oven, brush the TOP with milk and NOT the sides as this will prevent the pastry from rising.
Then sprinkle some sugar, spices such as cinnamon, if a sweet dish, or savory spices, like jerk seasoning, cajun spices, actually, anything that takes your fancy!
Cooking times will vary depending on what you are using the pastry for.
As a rough guide, 8-10 minutes for something small, 20-35 minutes for larger pies, or until the pastry takes on a nice golden brown color.
If you have any flaky pastry left over, why not make these Mini Cherry Hand Pies. they're really easy!
We'd love to hear from you and what you thought of our quick and easy flaky pastry recipe. Did you make any changes or add some other goodies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!
Recipe Card
Quick and Easy Flaky Pastry
How To Make Quick and Easy Flaky Pastry. Simple to follow instructions, great for pies, strudels, turnovers and freezer friendly too!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup or 175 g butter at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups or 225 g Plain / All purpose flour, sieved
- pinch of salt
- ¼-1/2 cup or 100 ml of cold water
- 2 tablespoons sugar if making a sweet dish.
Instructions
- Mix the sieved flour and salt in a bowl. (add sugar if using)
- Weigh out the butter and divide into 4 amounts.
- Add one portion of the butter to the flour and using a round bladed knife, incorporate the butter and flour, whilst slowly adding enough cold water until the mixture comes together to form an elastic dough.
- Dust the rolling surface with flour, and turn the dough out. Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape (see photo) and keep rolling, adding more flour if necessary to stop from sticking, until the dough is about 4 mm thickness.
- Rub any excess flour from the surface and using the next portion of butter, dot the butter (about 1 cm dots) on two thirds of the rolled out pastry evenly. (see photo).
- Fold the pastry into three portions, bringing the end without butter to the centre, then folding down the other third. (see photo)
- Press together pastry edges with your fingers, give the pastry half a turn and roll out lightly again until the pastry is 4 mm thick (same size before you dotted with butter).
- Repeat steps 5 - 7 twice more, then fold into three, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Notes
Note the prep time includes 30 minutes of chill time
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 271Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 158mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g
Delicious Sweet Recipes Using Pastry
Here's a selection of delicious sweet recipes using pastry
French Fruit Tart With Pastry Cream is a wonderful homemade sweet French pastry (Pâte Sablée) tart case, filled with silky smooth creme patissiere and then decorated with a variety of fresh fruits. A French patisserie classic dessert and a showstopper for parties!
Mini Almond Pastries.
These Mini Almond Pastries have a deliciously smooth, sweet, almond paste filling and are wrapped in crispy, light puff pastry. Quick and easy to make, and perfect for a tea time treat.
Easy Sesame Brown Sugar French Palmier Cookies, AKA Elephant Ears. These are a very easy to make crispy puff pastry cookie, filled with sesame seeds and brown sugar. Great for the holidays!
Blueberry Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars. An incredibly easy recipe with cream cheese and blueberry filling sandwiched between layers of pastry.
How To Make French Pastry (Pâte Sablée), easy step by step guide on making this sweet, buttery crisp tart shell. A classic famous sweet pastry dough recipe
Baklava is a Middle Eastern classic sweet treat, filled with a variety of nuts, honey, citrus, and spices, between layers of crunchy phyllo pastry. Ideal for serving at parties, or to have as a snack. An easy and simple recipe for the best baklava!
Cherry Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars. A.K.A Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars. An incredibly quick, easy recipe with cream cheese and cherries sandwiched between layers of flaky buttery golden pastry. Popular cream cheese crescent roll dessert
Easy Vanilla Slices. Creamy custard sandwiched between sheets of crispy puff pastry make for a nice chilled treat perfect for any occasion.
Delicious Apple and Custard Strudel, serve warm on their own or add a blob of whipped cream!
Easy Apple Spiced Turnovers. Crispy puff pastry packed with apples coated in cinnamon. Delicious eaten warm or chilled with a blob of ice cream too! Easy recipe, budget friendly and freezable.
Almond Pastries. A very quick and easy recipe. Delicious almond filling wrapped in a buttery flaky pastry.
Easy Cherry Custard Pastries are perfect for serving at a tea party, or just to have for yourself! Easy to make and fun for kids to help too.
Mini Caramel Apple Pastries. Delightful mini pastries filled with caramel and apples and oh so easy to make!
Apple and Cranberry Crescent Roll Cream Cheese Bars. An incredibly easy recipe with fantastic flavors!
Strawberry Crescent Roll Cheesecake Bars. An incredibly easy and fuss free recipe with cream cheese and strawberry filling sandwiched between layers of pastry. This tastes amazing!
Terry
says:Thanks so much! I was skeptical at first but it really did only take 15 minutes to prepare. I just applied this recipe, cut the dough into rectangles, sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar on top, added some hashes with a knife for design, and it’s in the oven right now! Smells great.
Gina
says:Not sure what I did wrong but mine came out like a regular dough and not pastries. :(
DJ
says:Can a food processor be used for the first 3 steps of this recipe?
Lovefoodies
says:Hi there, yes, you can start off with the food processor. Just be sure you don’t over mix!
Blythe
says:I want to use this recipe to make turnovers for breakfast in a couple of days. But the kids wake up pretty early. So I was hoping to make the pastry dough the night before. I know it says to chill it for 30 minutes, but will it mess it up if I leave on the fridge overnight?
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Blythe, yes, there’s no problem to chill overnight. You can even make it and freeze. If frozen, simply defrost in the fridge or at room temperature before you roll it out for baking.
Blythe
says:Great! Thanks for letting me know! Very excited to try out the recipe!
Shawn
says:Scared to try this..
Sandy
says:When u take it out of the fridge should unfold it, should I roll some more ,how much filling should I put in the raspberry filling ,it’s canned.
steven
says:Whayt about the remaining butter???
Gina
says:I think the extra butter you use when you do the other 2 folds. She says repeat steps and that step is dot with butter.
Ed Figueroa
says:I thought all dough requires some yeast in oder to rise. No mention in this recipe of any.
Yoshi
says:This seems to be like a cross between a pie crust dough and viennois, mixing the techniques. Folding butter in like viennois but no yeast like a pie crust. Should theoretically result in a richer more layered pie crust-like result, which doesn’t sound bad as an alternative.
Hulluk1
says:This is pastry not dough – light and flaky – so doesn’t include yeast?
Michael
says:No yeast, if u use yeast it will be like bread and there will be no flakiness.
Dany
says:After the 30 minutes then I roll again, can I freeze it for later use?
NiQue Williams
says:Are there any suggestions for using this recipe for a Two-Crust pot pie???
William
says:What happens after it comes out of the fridge?
Do I roll it out thin again?
Sandy
says:When u take it out of the fridge should unfold it, should I roll some more ,how much filling should I put in the raspberry filling ,it’s canned.
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Sandy, yes you’ll need to roll it when it comes out Of the fridge (let it come down a little to room temperature for about 20 minutes before rolling as it will be a bit stiff from being cold).
You need to roll so it is about 1 cm thick, and all an even thickness. I’m not sure what you’re making, if it is like a strudel with the filling, I would suggest making a rectangular shape pastry and then using about 1 1/2 cups of pie filling all along the middle, fold over and brush with some milk, sprinkle a bit of sugar on the top and bake. Make sure all the edges are sealed down (I just use the back of a fork and push down all along the edges so. I filling leaks out.
If you’re making a pie, then you’ll need to fill the pie dish about 2/3 full and pop on a baking tray incase of any over spill whilst baking.
I hope that helps!
alan
says:Is this the correct pastry for vanilla slices ?
Hulluk1
says:Yes ?
Cthulhu0818
says:Mmmmm….now I have malicious plans for those hand picked frozen blueberries in my freezer! Muah ha ha!
lovefoodies
says:ooooh yes! Blueberry turnovers would be super yummy! A tip for you, if using frozen fruits, don’t defrost them first as they will make the pastry go soggy! Use them straight from frozen!
Happy blueberry baking! I’m so jealous you have home grown ones!
doninkansas
says:I think I will be trying this sometime next week.
lovefoodies
says:That’s great to hear! Please enjoy!
Karen @BakingInATornado
says:What a great tutorial. You were so specific I bet even I could do this. I’m certainly going to give it a try!
lovefoodies
says:why thank you! You should try it for sure, it’s easy, freezable and cheap to make!!