Sourdough Puff Pastry Recipe (Flaky Layers Using Sourdough Discard)
This sourdough puff pastry recipe creates light, flaky layers using sourdough discard and simple pantry ingredients. Made with cold butter and all purpose flour, this traditional laminated pastry relies on folding and chilling rather than yeast for lift. The result is a tender, buttery pastry that works well for both sweet and savory recipes, from sausage rolls to fruit pastries, while adding the subtle flavor of sourdough without complicated steps.
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Servings: 1 sheet of puff pastry
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- Bench scraper
- Plastic wrap or reusable cover
Ingredients
Dough
- 225 g all-purpose flour about 1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons
- 60 g sourdough discard starter about ¼ cup
- 95 g cold water about ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon if using salted butter
- 20 g butter softened (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
Butter Block (for lamination)
- 200 g cold butter 1¾ sticks or 14 tablespoons
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour, sourdough discard starter, cold water, salt, and softened butter. Mix until a rough dough forms. The dough should feel firm but not dry.
- Shape into a rectangle, wrap, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Resting time allows the flour to hydrate and makes rolling easier.
- Place the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper and gently roll it into a flat rectangle about half the size of your dough. I prefer to hammer it out first with the rolling pin. This makes it much easier to roll.
- The butter should be cold but pliable while rolling. If it becomes too soft at any point, return it to the fridge for several minutes until firm again.
- Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle large enough to fully enclose the butter block.
- Place the butter in the center of the dough. Fold each corner of the dough over the butter toward the center, overlapping slightly and sealing the edges so the butter is completely enclosed.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough gently into a long rectangle.
- Fold the bottom third up and the top third down, like a letter.
- Wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding process two more times, chilling between each fold. These folds create the flaky layers that define puff pastry.
- After the final fold, chill the dough for at least 2 hour before using. The pastry is now ready for recipes or can be stored in the fridge for up to two days, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- If butter begins to soften or leak while rolling, place the dough back in the fridge.
- Work quickly and use light pressure when rolling to avoid pushing butter through the dough.
- Puff pastry needs cold butter to create steam, which forms the layers.
- If the dough resists rolling, let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before continuing.
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin before rolling the dough. Sourdough puff pastry can be slightly softer than traditional puff pastry, and a light dusting of flour helps prevent sticking and tearing. If the dough begins to stick, lift it gently and add a little more flour underneath rather than pressing harder with the rolling pin. Brush away excess flour before folding to keep the layers clean.