Chocolate Puff Pastry

Name: Chocolate Puff Pastry
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes 3 1/2-lb Dough
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups ice-cold water; 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt; 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, chilled, plus more; 1 3 ⁄ 4 cups bread flour, chilled; 9 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus 30 tbsp., chilled; 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups Dutch cocoa powder

Serves
makes 3 1/2-lb Dough

Buttery homemade puff pastry only gets better with a touch of chocolate. Adding a little cocoa powder to the butter block transforms the pastry into a barely sweet, delicately chocolaty version of itself. The fat carries the flavor of the cocoa, dispersing it throughout the dough's layers. It makes an irresistible base for mille-feuilles, pinwheel cookies, and petit fours. This recipe is from cookbook author and baker Eddy Van Damme.

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₃ cups ice-cold water
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, chilled, plus more
1 ³⁄₄ cups bread flour, chilled
9 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus 30 tbsp., chilled
1 ¹⁄₄ cups Dutch cocoa powder

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Instructions

Step 1

Stir water and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a hook. Add flours and softened butter; mix until dough forms. Knead dough until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

Step 2

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix chilled butter with cocoa powder. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a 7″ x 10″ rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap and chill until solid, about 1 hour.

Step 3

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Use a pastry brush to dust excess flour from both sides of dough. Place butter onto short end of rectangle; fold other side of dough up and over butter. Pinch dough edges to encase butter. Working from 1 short end of rectangle, and using a rolling pin, press pin into dough to soften butter, using a rocking motion between ridges to lengthen dough. Roll dough into a 10" x 24" rectangle. Fold dough into thirds, like a letter; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

Step 4

With 1 short side of rectangle facing you, roll dough into a 10" x 24" rectangle. Fold dough into thirds, wrap, and chill 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling dough 3 more times. Chill dough at least 1 hour before using; freeze up to 6 months.

Stir water and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a hook. Add flours and softened butter; mix until dough forms. Knead dough until smooth, 2–3 minutes. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix chilled butter with cocoa powder. Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a 7″ x 10″ rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap and chill until solid, about 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12" x 18" rectangle. Use a pastry brush to dust excess flour from both sides of dough. Place butter onto short end of rectangle; fold other side of dough up and over butter. Pinch dough edges to encase butter. Working from 1 short end of rectangle, and using a rolling pin, press pin into dough to soften butter, using a rocking motion between ridges to lengthen dough. Roll dough into a 10" x 24" rectangle. Fold dough into thirds, like a letter; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.
With 1 short side of rectangle facing you, roll dough into a 10" x 24" rectangle. Fold dough into thirds, wrap, and chill 30 minutes. Repeat rolling, folding, and chilling dough 3 more times. Chill dough at least 1 hour before using; freeze up to 6 months.