Ingredients
- Unsalted butter- 1⅔ cups (377 grams)
- All-purpose flour – 3 cups (375 grams)
- kosher salt – 1 tablespoon (9 grams)
- ice cold water- ⅔ cup (160 grams )
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Crème Fraîche Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
Method of preparation:
- Cube and freeze butter for 30 minutes.
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour and salt; pulse until combined.
- Add frozen cubed butter to flour mixture, and pulse until butter is dime-sized. With processor running, gradually add ⅔ cup (160 grams) ice cold water, processing just until mixture forms a ball. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll dough into a 20×10-inch rectangle. Fold dough in thirds, letter style. Turn dough 90 degrees, and repeat procedure twice. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Turn 2 sheet pans over, bottom side up, and place a sheet of parchment paper on bottom of each pan. Set aside another 2 sheets of parchment paper and another 2 sheet pans.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 24×12-inch rectangle. Using a pastry wheel, cut dough into 36 (4×2-inch) rectangles. Place rectangles at least ½ inch apart on prepared pans. Place reserved sheets of parchment over dough; place second sheet pans, bottom side down, on top of parchment.
- Bake for 15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Carefully remove top sheet pan and parchment, and bake until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes more. Let cool completely.
- Place 9 pieces of pastry on a sheet of parchment paper. Dust with confectioners’ sugar as desired. Set aside.
- Place chilled Crème Fraîche Pastry Cream in a piping bag fitted with an Ateco #802 round tip. Place another 9 pieces of pastry on a sheet pan. Pipe a row of large dots of Crème Fraîche Pastry Cream on top of each pastry. Top each with another piece of pastry. Pipe another layer of Crème Fraîche Pastry Cream on top of each pastry. Repeat layers one more time. Top with dusted pastries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.