INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Makes about 2 pounds  In the bowl of a food processor or using the flat
paddle of an  electric mixer, mix 1/2 cup flour with the butter until
very smooth.  Shape the mixture into a flat square 1 inch thick, wrap
well in  plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.  Combine the salt
with the remaining flour in a large mixing bowl and  add the cream.
Mix the dough well by hand or with an electric mixer;  the dough will
not be completely smooth but it should not be sticky.  Shape it into a
flat square 1 1/2 inches thick, wrap in plastic, and  chill, at least
30 minutes.  Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly
floured  board, roll the dough into a rectangle twice as long as the
butter  dough. Place the butter dough in the center, fold up the ends
to  completely encase the butter dough, and seal the edges by pinching
them together. Wrap well in plastic and chill for at least 30  minutes,
so that the dough achieves the same temperature throughout.  Remove the
dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured  board, roll it
out into a large rectangle approximately 1/2 inch  thick. Fold the
dough into thirds, aligning the edges carefully and  brushing off any
excess flour.  The object is to ensure that the  butter is distributed
evenly throughout so that the pastry will puff  evenly when baked. Wrap
the dough and chill it for at least 30  minutes. This completes one
turn.  Repeat this process five more times; classic puff pastry gets
six  turns, creating hundreds of layers of butter between layers of the
flour dough (729 to be exact). Use as little flour as possible when
rolling out the dough, and always brush off any excess.  (I use a
4-inch brush for this.) Remember to let the dough rest for at least  30
minutes in the refrigerator between turns, or 15 minutes in the
freezer.  This chilling makes the rolling out much easier and it  keeps
the layers of butter of equal thickness.  By the sixth and final turn,
the dough should be very smooth, with no  lumps of butter visible.
Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and  refrigerate until ready to use (up
to 2 days), or freeze for future  use. I usually divide the dough into
1-pound pieces and freeze it  that way.  RECTANGULAR TART SHELLS:  Roll
out the pastry into a rectangle at  least 20 inches long and about 1/8
inch thick. Using a ruler as your  guide, cut the edges with a sharp
knife so that the pastry measures  the desired size (I generally make
these 4 X 18 inches). From the  remaining pastry, cut three strips 1/2
inch wide and as long as the  tart.  Place the rectangle on a
parchment-lined or water-sprayed baking  sheet. Build up the edges by
pasting two strips on the long edges  with water. Cut the third strip
into two strips that will fit the  shorter edges and attach with a bit
of cold water, overlapping the  ends. Prick the entire inside bottom of
the pastry shell with the  tines of a fork (this prevents uneven
puffing).  Carefully line only  the bottom with aluminum foil, and
weight with beans, rice, or  aluminum or ceramic weights. (Be careful
not to weight the edges.)  Refrigerate, covered, for at least 30
minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Remove the pastry from the
refrigerator  and brush the uncovered edges with a glaze of 1 egg yolk
mixed with 2  tsp cream or water. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until
the edges  have puffed and begun to brown.  Remove the weights and
foil, and  continue to bake until the entire shell is light golden
brown. Let  cool completely on a wire rack.  Martha Stewart's Pies and
Tarts From the collection of Jim Vorheis  From Gemini's MASSIVE
MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients)
----------------------------------------------
Calories: 3221
Calories From Fat: 2036
Total Fat: 228.8g
Cholesterol: 718.4mg
Sodium: 1445.2mg
Potassium: 1097.4mg
Carbohydrates: 178.8g
Fiber: 6.1g
Sugar: <1g
Protein: 106.8g