Packed with flavour and a gentle flaky texture (not the super-high rise made with white flour) this is a very buttery rich pastry with a great wheaten flavour and a gentle honey sweetness. Perfect for savoury and sweet pies, pasties and sausage rolls. Freezes very well, just thaw in the refrigerator before rolling.

makes enough to line and top 2 large pies, to fit our Pie Plate 9" (20.2cm)

Method

If the flour is very freshly milled let it get cold first before making it. If you’re in a hurry do what I do and place it on a tray in the fridge or freezer, that cools it down quickly.

Measure the flour into a large mixing bowl with the sea salt.

In another bowl whisk together the milk, water, egg, honey and cider vinegar. Then add the butter cubes so that they’re separate in the liquid. Next pour the liquid and butter onto the flour.

Using a folding and squeezing movement with your hands gently turn the mixture over again and again, pushing it together until you have a lump of dough. Don’t try and mix it, you want to keep the cubes of butter whole and visible in the dough.

Flour the worktop evenly, place the dough on it, then flour the top of the dough. Roll the dough out to about 1cm thick into a rectangle extending out away from you. Use extra flour to stop it sticking. Then fold the dough in by thirds, rotate it away from you, then roll it out once more, fold it in by things once more, then cover and chill for 20 minutes.

Repeat this double roll and folding-by-thirds sequence twice more, leaving the dough to chill wrapped in the fridge for 20 minutes in-between, then it’s ready to use.

To freeze, I cut the block into two slab and wrap them well. To use just return to fridge-cold so that the dough and butter are smooth when you roll it.