Puff Pastry

Put the flour into a bowl, add the salt and stir to combine.
Add the water and mix well.
Using your hands gather everything together to form a ball of dough.
If this does not happen easily add another teaspoon of water.
Cover the dough ball and chill for 10 minutes.
Cut the chilled butter into very thin slices and lay these out on a plate.
Dust the work surface with flour, place the dough in the middle and dust it with flour.
Gently roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12" rectangle.
Lay a third of the butter slices across the middle of the dough in lines which just touch.
Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
Gently lift the left side of the pastry over and onto the middle of the butter.
Now lift the right side of the pastry, folding it over so the butter is covered.
Press around the edges and pinch together any cracks.
Gently fold the pastry in half, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
Dust the pastry with flour, turn it over and dust the other side.
For the second time, roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12" rectangle.
Arrange another third of the butter in lines covering the middle of the pastry and finishing 1cm/⅜” from the sides.
Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
Once again, carefully lift the left and right sides of the pastry over the butter to meet in the middle.
Press around the edges, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
Gently fold the pastry in half, dust with flour and chill for at least 10 minutes.
For the final time, roll the dough into a 20 x 30cm/8 x 12" rectangle.
Arrange the remaining slices of butter in lines covering the middle of the pastry and finishing 1cm/⅜” from the sides.
Run a damp finger all around the outside of the pastry rectangle.
Once again, carefully lift the left and right sides of the pastry over the butter to meet in the middle.
Press around the edges, pinching any cracks to make sure no butter is exposed.
Gently fold the pastry in half, pinching together any cracks over the butter.
Dust the folded pastry with flour and chill for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Apricot Tarts

Pre-heat the oven.
Allow the pastry to come back to room temperature.
Rub a little oil around the inside of a large baking tray or insert a baking liner.
Gently warm the jam.
Dust the work surface and pastry with flour.
Roll the pastry into a 15 x 45cm/6 x 18" rectangle.
Cut the pastry into twelve 75mm/3” squares.
Cut the marzipan into 12 pieces, roll each into a ball and put one in the middle of each square.
Half the apricots and remove the stones.
Put half an apricot over each marzipan ball to enclose it.
Brush apricot jam all over the pastry and apricot.
Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.
Transfer the apricot tarts to the prepared baking tray.
Chill for 10 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden.