Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (53 page)

BOOK: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2
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3)
Turn 2—the four-layer fold—2
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In the second turn, you will roll out the dough and fold it so that it makes 4 layers. During the roll, be sure top and bottom of dough are always lightly floured and that your rolling surface is always scraped clean, to prevent dough from sticking; lift dough and slide it about between rolls to make sure.

 

Starting about an inch in from the near edge of the dough, roll your pin rapidly to within an inch of the far end, extending the dough as you roll
. The rolling movement is a firm, even push away from you at a 45-degree angle. You are aiming for as even a rectangle of dough as possible; after several rolls you wish it to be 16 to 18 inches long and about 8 inches wide.

Even the sides of the rectangle with the side of your pin when necessary and occasionally roll across the rectangle to widen it. Sprinkle any breaks in the dough with flour. (If you did not chill the initial dough it will look messy and soft at this point; do not worry.)

 

Fold the top and the bottom edges of the rectangle so that they meet at the center of the dough.

 

Fold them together again, as though you were closing a book
. Now you have completed the second turn, and have 8 layers of butter sandwiched in between 9 layers of dough.

 

So that you will remember that you have now made 2 turns—you may decide to freeze the dough at this point—
press 2 depressions in the top of the dough with the ball-ends, not the nails, of your
fingers.

Wrap the dough in waxed paper, slip it into a plastic bag and refrigerate for 40 to 60 minutes (or overnight if you wish) until dough is much firmer and the gluten has relaxed; it will then be easy to roll out for the final 2 turns.

4)
Finishing the dough: turns 3 and 4—after a 40- to 60-minute rest

Unwrap the chilled dough and flour it sparingly top and bottom. If it is cold and hard,
beat it evenly and firmly but not too heavily with your rolling pin to start it moving: beat crosswise and lengthwise, and keep the even rectangular shape
.

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