some of its fat rubbed into the flour to tenderize, and some rolled in for flakiness The first American recipes — Amelia Simmons’s “Puff Pastes for Tarts” — are notable for their terseness and variety She gives several; here are three No Rub one pound of butter into one pound of flour, whip 2 whites and add with cold water and one yolk; make into paste, roll in six or seven times one pound of butter, flouring it each roll This is good for any small thing No To any quantity of flour, rub in three fourths of its weight in butter (twelve eggs to a peck), rub in one third or half, and roll in the rest No Rub in one and half pound of suet to six pounds of flour, and a spoon full of salt, wet with cream, roll in, in six or eight times, two and half pounds of butter — good for a chicken or meat pie — American Cookery, 1796 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 ... 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.. .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... 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