Sempoi Pastry - Maggie Beer's wonderful recipe

According to Maggie Beer, traditional pastry requires time & skill. However here she shared 2 of her pastry's recipes that works great in a fraction of time & simpler method.

Rough Puff Pastry

250g (1 2/3 cups) plain flour
250g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
a pinch of salt
125ml (1/2 cup) iced water

- place flour on a clean work surface, make a well in center
- put butter & a pinch of salt in the well
- using a pastry scraper or knife, cut butter into flour until quartered into size (what it means is to mix the butter with the flour by using the scraper & knife instead of rubbing)
- again make a well in center, pour the iced water 
- using scraper or knife work the butter & flour mix into the water until form large clumps , do not knead dough
- using hands, form dough into a loose ball, it should look lumpy but should hold together
- roll dough on a floured surface to about 1cm thick rectangle, flipping pastry 2-3 times, dusting w flour to prevent sticking
- keep in rectangle shape, fold like an open book, brush away excess flour
- fold the dough again like a close book, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for 10 minutes
- repeat the rolling, folding & chilling process 2 times more
- after the 3rd time use the pastry for any dish you like i.e. pie, quiche, tarts 

Sour cream pastry 

200g cold, unsalted butter, roughly chopped
250g (1 2/3 cups) plain flour
120g (1/2 cup) sour cream
a pinch of salt


- process butter, flour & salt in a food processor until resembles like breadcrumbs
- add sour cream & process until just combined
- shape into a ball, wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
- she suggested that shape the pastry according to recipe in baking pan / dish before refrigerating 

Happy trying... :)