I was blessed with the gifts of The Cake Bible, The Bread Bible and The Pie & Pastry Bible this past Christmas and I have been having a lot of fun.

Today I am making Danish Pastry dough and see that the recipe says to work 1T of flour into the butter.  I don’t recall ever seeing a puff pastry, danish or croisannt recipe with that method before.  I plan on doing it as I trust the source completely but I enjoy the science of baking too so I am curious as to why.

Thanks,

Karin

I have seen a number of croissant recipes that do this, I don’t think it’s that unusual.  The idea is to layer a rich dough with a lean dough.  Some recipes have the lean dough totally without fat and the rich “dough” totally without flour, but many either add a little butter to the lean dough or add a little flour to the butter. 

I think there’s a place where Rose mentions a reason for the flour in the butter, and I think it may have to do with easier rolling of the layered dough, but I’ll come back and edit this if I find it.

Anyone else?

Julie - 23 January 2011 07:51 PM

a reason for the flour in the butter, and I think it may have to do with easier rolling of the layered dough

That’s what Sherry Yard says.  It helps break down the butter when rolling.