Brie en Croute

By Howie

Ingredients

• Puff Pastry:
• 2 1/2 lb bread flour
• 4 oz whole eggs
• 4 oz butter
• 1/2 oz salt
• 1 lb 2 oz cold water
• 2 1/2 lb puff pastry shortening

Preparation

Step 1

1) Place bread flour, salt, butter, whole eggs, and cold water in electric mixing bowl. Using the dough hook, mix in slow speed, then second speed, until a very smooth dough is formed.

2) Remove dough from the mixer, place on a floured bench, and round up into the shape of a smooth ball.

3) Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest on bench for 15-20 mintues.

4) Roll the dough into a rectangular shape twice as long as it is wide and aprroximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

5) Spot the puff pastry shortening evenly over 2/3 of the dough surface. Do not bring the shortening to the edge, keep it about 1/2 inch from the edge.

6) Fold over the unspotted third of the dough over one half of the spotted portion. Then fold the remaining spotted one third of the dough over this unfolded portion, completing a three fold dough.

7) Brush the dough free of excess flour and give it a half turn, so the former length now becomes the width. Proceed to roll out the dough into a rectangular shape again. This rectangle should be twice as long and wide, and about 1/2 inch thick. Again brush off excess flour.

8) Fold both ends of the dough toward the middle, then double again. This is referred to as a pocketbook fold. Place the dough on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes.

9) Remove the dough from the refrigerator and repeat the rolling and folding process a total of five times, but each time allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes. The width of the previous roll should be rolled into the length each time.