The dough is rested in the refrigerator to
rechill the fat and let the water become more
evenly distributed, and then is rolled out. The
rolling stretches the dough and thus develops
some gluten, and flattens the fat chunks into
thin sheets. The combination creates the
layered texture. The rolled dough is then
rested to allow the gluten sheets to relax, and
shaped with minimal stretching; otherwise the
gluten may rebound and the crust shrink
during baking. In the oven, the sheets of fat,
trapped air, and steam from the dough water
(and the water in any butter) all help to
separate the dough into layers and give it a
flaky texture.
Shortening and lard generally produce
more tender and flaky crusts than butter,
which melts into the dough at a lower
temperature and whose water can cause dough
particles and flakes to stick to each other.
Laminated Pastries:
Puff Pastry, Pâte Feuilleté