Food Processor Method

Place the flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the cubes of butter and pulse until you achieve pea-sized pebbles of butter, removing the lid now and again to check the size of the butter pieces.

Add the water all at once and pulse just until the dough comes together. The mixture will look crumbly, but if you grab a handful it should hold together. If not, add a bit of ice water by the spoonful until the mixture holds together.

Stand Mixer Method

Combine the flours and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cubes of butter and toss with your hands or a spoon to ensure they are coated with flour (rather than clumped together). Mix on medium-low speed until the flour mixture appears crumbly, about 3–4 minutes. 

Replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed while adding the water all at once. Continue mixing until the dough comes together and there are no crumbs at the bottom of the bowl. If the mixture is not holding together, add a bit of ice water, by the spoonful, until the mixture comes together in a shaggy mass.

Hand Method

Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubes of butter and work the flour and butter together with your fingertips, squishing the butter until the mixture resembles grainy crumbs. This takes about 10 minutes, but the process— scooping both hands through the flour and letting it fall through your fingers while you knead the butter between your fingers—is a pleasant, contemplative task.

Add the water all at once and mix with your hands or a spoon until the mixture clings together. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead the dough with the palm of your hand about 8 times, until the mixture is fairly smooth. You should see traces of butter throughout the dough.

Preparing the Pastry

Regardless how you mix the ingredients, transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment lightly dusted with flour.

Shape the dough with your hands (or a rolling pin)into a squat rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Place the dough on a sheet of parchment dusted with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and roll the dough, over the plastic wrap, forming a rectangle about 9-× 14-inches (23 × 36 cm).

Fold the rectangle into thirds, as if folding a letter for an envelope. This is considered your first “turn.” (Some bakers note each turn with a finger depression in the dough, see previous recipe.) You will need a total of 4 “turns” with at least 40 minutes refrigeration (with the pastry tightly wrapped in plastic) between each turn.

Be sure to roll the dough with the seam facing the same direction every time. This will stretch your dough in all directions, helping to ensure your pastry rises evenly.

Use as directed in recipes calling for puff pastry.