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1
For the dough, in a small saucepan over a low flame, heat the milk just until it feels warm, about 110 degrees.
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2
Pour it into a small bowl, and whisk in the yeast.
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3
Set aside.
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4
Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse several times just to combine.
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5
Add the 4 tablespoons of butter and pulse 6 or 8 times, until the butter is absorbed and the mixture looks powdery.
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6
Add the eggs and yeast mixture and continue to pulse until the dough forms into a ball.
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7
If the dough refuses to form a ball, add up to 3 tablespoons of flour, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition.
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8
To mix by hand, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir well to mix.
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9
Rub in the butter by hand, being careful to leave the mixture cool and powdery.
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10
Beat the eggs into the yeast mixture and add to the bowl.
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11
Stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until the dough forms.
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12
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
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13
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface (you may need the help of a scraper) and fold the dough over on itself 6 or 8 times.
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14
Sprinkle with up to 3 tablespoons more flour if the dough is very soft.
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15
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for from 1 to 8 hours.
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16
To prepare the butter layer to be incorporated into the dough, scatter the flour on the work surface.
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17
Remove the butter from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and roll the butter in the flour to coat it.
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18
Pound the butter with a rolling pin, gently at first.
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19
Turn it often to keep it coated with flour.
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20
The butter should become soft and malleable, but not begin to melt.
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21
Press the butter occasionally with your fingertip to check its consistencyit should be cool and pliable.
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22
Flouring your hands with any flour left on the work surface (or up to 1 tablespoon additional flour), quickly knead the butter into a solid mass and set it aside for a moment.
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23
If the room is warm, refrigerate the butter.
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24
Scrape off any bits of butter stuck to the work surface and flour it lightly.
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25
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn the dough out in one piece onto the surface using a rubber spatula.
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26
Make sure the dough does not fold over onto itself or it may become too elastic to roll.
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27
Lightly flour the top of the dough and, using the palm of one hand, press and pull it into a 6 x 12-inch rectangle.
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28
Divide the softened butter into 8 fairly equal-sized pieces and press each quickly between the palms of your hands to flatten it.
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29
Distribute the flattened pieces of butter in a 6 x 9-inch rectangle over the bottom two thirds of the dough.
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30
Fold the top (unbuttered) third of the dough down over the middle (buttered) third.
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31
Then fold the bottom (buttered) third up over the other layers to make a 5-layered package of dough and butter.
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32
Position the dough on the work surface so that the fold is on your left.
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33
Lightly flour the work surface and dough and, with a rolling pin, press a series of horizontal lines in the dough to flatten it gently.
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34
You dont want the butter to squeeze out the sides or the dough to become thinner at the edges, so when the dough is approximately 1/2 inch thick, roll it, without rolling over the edges, to make a 12 x 24-inch rectangle.
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35
Fold the two narrow ends of the dough to within 1/4 inch of the middle, leaving a 1/2-inch space between their ends.
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36
Fold over again at the space to make 4 layers.
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37
Repeat step Loosely wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then slide it into a large plastic bag, to allow room for it to expand.
