Wonderfully flaky, buttery, tender pastries, turnovers, cheese straws, elephant ears (palmiers), shells for savory fillings, and more can be yours with a minimum of effort.

• 1½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoon salt*
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter,* cut in pats
• ½ cup sour cream

*If you use salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to ¼ teaspoon

you use salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to ¼ teaspoon

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add the butter, working it in to make a coarse/crumbly mixture. Leave most of the butter in large, pea-sized pieces.
3. Stir in the sour cream; the dough won’t be cohesive. Turn it out onto a floured work surface, and bring it together with a few quick kneads.
4. Pat the dough into a rough log, and roll it into an 8-inch-by-10-inch rectangle.
5. Dust both sides of the dough with flour, and starting with a shorter end, fold it in three like a business letter.
6. Flip the dough over, give it a 90° turn on your work surface, and roll it into an 8-inch-by-10-inch rectangle. Fold it in three again.
7. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before using. To make pastry, roll into desired size.
8. Freeze dough for prolonged storage, up to 2 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Yield: 1 generous pound puff pastry, enough to roll into a 12-inch-by-24-inch rectangle