Advertisement
Folding
Appears in
By Karen Morgan
Published 2014
This is a different kind of folding than what we discussed. In this case, folding refers to turning, or letter-folding, dough. This is a technique often used for puff pastry in which layers of butter alternate with thin layers of dough. Using a folding technique in recipes like my Pop-Tarts or quiche happens to replicate those incredibly thin layers of crust without the tedious layering of the butter.
To letter-fold short crust, roll out the dough into a rectangle about a third as wide as it is long. Fold one of the shorter edges to the center, leaving a third of the dough unfolded. Repeat with the other short side, laying the dough on top of the folded portion. The dough should look like a letter just before you place it in an envelope. Gently pound the dough with your rolling pin to stretch the dough while compressing the layers. Finally, roll the dough back into a rectangle. This is called one turn of the dough. Repeat this process—folding the dough in thirds, pounding the dough, and rolling it out into a rectangle—as many times, or “turns,” as indicated in the recipe. And no matter what, don’t stress—if your dough gets too soft to handle, simply place it back in the fridge for 30 minutes before proceeding as directed in the recipe.
Part of
Advertisement
Advertisement