Puff Pastry

I'm trying to figure out exactly how many layers form when making puff pastry.

I know when enclosing the butter into the detrempe to make the pastry is the first step before rolling and turning but heres were I'm not sure.When your pastry is done theres 729 layers of butter between 730 layers of dough which gives you 1459 layers (as it seems to me) Mille Feulle of course means "thousand leaves" I multiplied everything times 3 at each turn to come up with that number. Is that correct?

I want to be sure of this # because it will be part of one of my quiz's in regional French Cuisine. The books I have at home don't give an exact number.

TIA for any help :)

PS, for those who wonder, i'm teaching the class, not a student trying to cheat :D

Jeff,

What is a "single"?

6 Three folds or 4 four folds is how I make the pastry.

You are saying theres less then 1000 layers? This confuses me because if I do the math 6 three folds will yield exactly 1459 layers. What am I missing?

How many folds do you make? 5 three folds should yield 883 layers. is that your technique?

Thanks
Brad

Jeff,

No that helped, and thank you, although your over 1000 layers and said originally it's less?

I understand what you mean by "book" and "single" but in regards to a "crunchier"pastry that leaves me a bit confused :confused: Isn't the finished pastry the same in regards to lack of gluten and composite, Is the egg wash and temperature more important for texture?
I know I went off my original question, but to me puff pastry is the most challenging and I appreciate the insight

:EDIT: Jeff, You did say that the layers where not 1000. I assumed you meant over 1000.

Thanks Jeff,

You are very helpful and thorough.

Yes, Kyle is the man, but, he is probably working with bread flour "higher protein" = higher gluten when worked. Puff needs a flour with lower proteins as to not develop a gluten to toughen the dough.Theres no leavening agent in puff pastry. It relies on the butter to "steam" the layers during cooking.

High protein flours are higher in glutens, hence used for breads.

The lower protein flours (pastry and cake) develop less gluten when worked so the dough is tender.I haven't seen bread flour used in rolled in doughs.