Whisk 2 1/4 cups flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Add approximately half the water and gently work the flour and water together. Add remaining water, 1 tbsp at a time, until a ragged dough forms; it should stay together when pressed. Form dough into a rough square, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle butter with 1 teaspoon flour. Place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound into a 10 x 5-inch rectangle. Fold in half to form a 5-inch square, sprinkle with another teaspoon flour and pound again to create a 10 x 5-inch rectangle. Repeat once more, sprinkling a teaspoon of flour on the butter before pounding into a rectangle and folding into a 5-inch square, pressing lightly to flatten. The butter should be pliable and fold without cracking. If it's still brittle, add another teaspoon of flour and repeat. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into a 9-inch square. Top with butter square, aligning each corner of the butter with an edge of dough (it should look like you have a diamond on top of a square). Fold edges of dough to centre of butter and pinch the sides of the dough together to seal.
Roll dough into a 9-inch square. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Top with butter square, aligning each corner of the butter with an edge of dough (it should look like you have a diamond on top of a square). (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Fold edges of dough to centre of butter and pinch the sides of the dough together to seal. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Flour surface and turn dough seam side down. Roll into a 13 x 7-inch rectangle. Fold the top third down, then the bottom third up to cover. Quarter turn and repeat rolling and folding. Chill 30 min.
Flour surface and turn dough seam side down. Roll into a 13 x 7-inch rectangle. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Fold the top third down, then the bottom third up to cover. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Once chilled, repeat step four and refrigerate 30 min.
Fold and roll into a 13-inch-by-7-inch rectangle two more times, refrigerating in between. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Repeat step four again and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 425°F. Roll dough to ⅛-inch thick. Puff pastry can be made into different shapes and forms: pinwheels, vol-au-vents, pockets and more. Shape dough as desired.
Roll dough to 1/8-inch thick. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Cut and fold your dough into any shape you like! Pinwheels are fun! (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
Bake until golden.
Tada! Finished puff pastry. (The Great Canadian Baking Show)
