Sourdough Rough Puff Pastry is tender, and buttery with lots of delicate flaky layers. Use your sourdough discard to make this recipe that is so much easier to make than traditional puff pastry. Homemade Sourdough Rough Puff will elevate any recipe that calls for store-bought puff pastry.
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What’s the Difference Between Full Puff and Rough Puff Pastry?
Rough puff pastry is so much easier to make and equally delicious. The main difference between the two styles is that, when making rough puff pastry, butter is rubbed into the flour and made into a pastry dough which is then laminated (folded). In contrast to full puff where you create a butter block that is encased in dough and then laminated.
Full puff pastry usually has more defined layers since you are creating individual layers of butter and dough as you roll out and fold it. While the flour is coated with butter in rough puff pastry is incorporated into the flour. While full puff pastry usually has a higher rise, rough puff pastry is still delicate, flaky, and tasty!
Why Make Rough Puff Pastry?
Rough puff pastry is much easier to make than full puff pastry and uses much less butter. If you’re a little bit unsure of your dough handling and laminating abilities, I would definitely recommend trying rough puff pastry.
Baking with Sourdough Discard
When incorporated into buttery pastry, sourdough discard adds a slightly cheesy flavor that’s delicious but not overpowering. Since you’re not using it as a leavener, you can use your discard straight from the refrigerator. There’s no need to feed it or activate it before mixing it into your batter. Older discard will have a tangier, more acidic flavor than a freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both will work for this recipe, you’ll just get a slightly different flavor profile but your bake will still be delicious!
Need more ideas for using your excess sourdough starter? Check out my favorite Sourdough Discard Recipes!
What you need:
Sourdough discard - You can use your discard straight from the refrigerator.
Water - Activates the gluten in the flour and binds all the ingredients together.
All-purpose flour - Low protein flour imparts a tender texture to this crust, do not substitute another type of flour for this recipe.
Salt - Enhances the flavor of butter and sourdough discard. Use kosher salt or sea salt for this recipe.
Butter - Tenderizes the gluten in the dough, as the crust bakes water in the butter evaporates and creates crisp, flaky layers.
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Rub the butter into dry ingredients
2. Stir in the sourdough discard and water
3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and coax it into a rectangular shape (this will make it easier to laminate) and chill for at least 30 minutes
4. Complete 1 book fold, wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes
5. Complete 2 to 3 letter folds in 30 minute intervals, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate in between folds
6. Cut three strips of parchment and place them in between folds of dough, store in a zip-top bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using
How to perform a Book Fold
1. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle (about 18 by 8 inches, it doesn’t have to be exact). Fold the shorter ends so they meet in the center.
2. Fold the dough in half, wrap it in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
How to perform a Letter Fold
1. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle (about 24 by 8 inches, it doesn’t have to be exact), fold the shorter ends towards the center (over each other).
2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30-minute intervals. The butter should look evenly distributed after the last fold.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Simply use the same proportion of freshly fed sourdough starter in the recipe. Your starter won’t add a strong tangy flavor to your crust, but it will still work.
If you don’t have a starter, but still want to try out this recipe, simply add 56 grams of all-purpose flour and 56 grams of water to your dough.
Yes! Since you’re not using it as a leavener you can use your discard without being activated straight from the refrigerator.
No, since you won’t be using your discard to make bread the yeast in your culture doesn’t need to be strengthened and does not need to be fed regularly or at all. You can keep it in the refrigerator indefinitely and can be used as long as it has not grown any mold.
Use your Sourdough Rough Puff Pastry on any recipe that calls for store-bought puff pastry!
Store your Sourdough Puff Pastry in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap for up to a week.
You can store your puff pastry in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let your dough defrost on the counter at room temperature before rolling it out.
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Sourdough Rough Puff Pastry
Equipment
- scissors
- Parchment paper
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Ingredients
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 7 grams salt
- 226 grams unsalted butter cold and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
- 56 grams water
- 113 grams sourdough discard
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Make the dough: Whisk the salt and all-purpose flour together in a large bowl. Toss the butter in the flour mixture, squeezing and rubbing the butter into the flour. Dissolve the discard in the water. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour the dissolved discard into the center. Stir the mixture together until all the flour looks hydrated and no dry bits remain.200 grams all-purpose flour, 7 grams salt, 226 grams unsalted butter, 56 grams water, 113 grams sourdough discard
- Chill the dough: Turn the dough out on to a large piece of plastic wrap, wrap it and flatten it out into a rectangle with sharp edges (this will make it easier to laminate).
- Laminate the dough: Unwrap the dough and turn it out onto a heavily floured surface.
- Complete Book Fold: Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough out into a large rectangle (about 18 by 8 inches, it doesn’t have to be exact). Fold the short sides towards so they meet in the center. Fold the dough in half and let it chill for 30 minutes.
- Complete Letter Folds: Roll the dough out into a long rectangle (about 24 by 8 inches long). Fold the sides towards the center, overlapping like you’re folding a letter. Complete 2 to 3 letter folds in 30 minute intervals. Wrap the dough and chill it in between folds. The dough should look cohesive and the butter will look more evenly distributed after the last fold.
- Store: Roll the dough out into a large rectangle (about 12 by 8 inches). Cut two rectangular strips of parchment paper. Fold the dough in thirds, tuck a piece of parchment between folds. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours before using. Use according to recipe instructions.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info provided are estimates.
Kayla
Used this receipe last night, overall great, but a bit undercooked. I think my oven temp was too low- what do you recommend?
Hannah Dela Cruz
I’d love to help, but I need a bit more info to get a better idea of what happened. When you say undercooked, could you describe what the pastry looked like? Was it pale, oily, or maybe soggy? Since I wasn’t in your kitchen, it’s a little tricky for me to give the best advice without knowing more about what you saw.
Beatrice W
Hi Hannah, is it ok to use bleached all-purpose flour? I have both bleached and unbleached, but want to use up the bleached flour. TY!
Hannah Dela Cruz
It should work just fine since you won't be fermenting the dough here.
Priscilla
My puff pastry has continued to rise in the refrigerator wrapped in a Ziploc bag. Since I'm not going to use it soon, do I need to roll it out again before I wrap it again so I can put it in fridge? Thank you!
Hannah Dela Cruz
If your puff pastry keeps rising and you don't want to use it immediately, I would flatten it out, wrap it up and freeze it.
Priscilla
How much Puff Pastry does this recipe make? Thank you! I can't wait to try this out!
Hannah Dela Cruz
Hi Priscilla! I'm so thrilled that you're willing to give homemade puff pastry a shot. This makes about 1 lb of puff pastry probably enough to roll out into a 12 by 24 inch rectangle.
Priscilla
Thanks you for your prompt reply, Hannah. I've got so many sourdough recipes on my list. And having so much fun! Thank you for your great recipes!
Liandri Olteanu
Fantastic recipe! I made it the day before so it could rest a little longer, used it in three very different recipes and they came out delicious!
Hannah Dela Cruz
So glad the recipe worked for you!
Sheldon Parker
Made the recipe and so far, so good, but I'm realizing now that the recipe doesn't specify baking instructions - I see 20 mins. but at what temperature?
Rebecca
How thin do you typically roll out this dough when using it in a recipe?
Hannah Dela Cruz
I usually do 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick depending on the recipe
Claire
Hi ! I used your rough puff pastry last week, thank you ! It was easy to work with but it didn't puff up at all in the oven. Do you find it puffs up or not ? Thanks.
Hannah Dela Cruz
It should still puff up but it won't be as puffy as a traditional puff pastry because of the way the butter is worked into the dough.