What does laminating pastry mean?

Laminating pastry is a technique that involves repeatedly rolling and folding pastry dough to create layers of butter and dough. The butter creates pockets of air that expand as the dough bakes, resulting in light, flaky layers of pastry. Laminating is a traditional technique used to make croissants and other puff pastry items.

Here's a brief step-by-step explanation of the process:

1. Prepare the dough: Make a basic dough using flour, water, butter, and salt. It's important to use cold butter for the laminating process.

2. First roll: Roll out the dough into a rectangle.

3. Add butter: Place a block of cold butter in the center of the dough and fold the edges over to enclose it completely.

4. First turn: Fold the dough into thirds, like folding a letter.

5. Chill the dough: Place the folded dough in the refrigerator to chill for about 15-30 minutes.

6. Repeat the process: Roll out the dough and fold it in thirds again, then chill it erneut again. This process should be repeated several times (usually 3-4 times) to create the layers.

7. Final roll: After the last turn, roll out the dough into a large rectangle and cut it into desired shapes, such as triangles for croissants.

8. Proof and bake: Allow the shaped dough to rise (proof) before baking it in a preheated oven until it becomes golden brown and flaky.

Laminating requires patience and precision, but the results are worth it – you'll end up with delicious, buttery, and flaky pastry.