Preliminary Notes

• For best lamination, keep everything cold. Chill your mixing bowl for 10–15 minutes before starting.
• If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the dry ingredients while preparing the butter.

Make the Dough

• In a chilled bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Add the frozen butter cubes. Using a bench scraper or your fingertips, cut and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks sandy with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. 
• Pour in the cold egg and milk. Using a bench scraper, gently fold and press the mixture just until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy, avoid kneading.
• Transfer the dough onto plastic wrap and gently press it together into a rough square while wrapping. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Butter Block

• Place the 75 g butter between two sheets of parchment and pound or roll into a 12 × 12 cm square. Keep it cold but pliable. If it softens, refrigerate briefly.

Enclose the Butter

• Lightly flour your surface and roll the chilled dough into an 18 × 18 cm square.
• Place the butter block in the center at a diamond angle so the butter corners point toward the dough sides. Fold the dough corners over the butter to meet in the center, sealing the butter inside. Patch any gaps with scrap dough. 

First Roll & Stack (Creates Layers)

• Dust both sides of the dough with flour if needed. Using a rolling pin, press the dough from the middle moving upward. Then press the dough moving downward. This helps pre-roll the dough. Then roll the dough into a 14 × 30 cm rectangle.
• Cut the rectangle crosswise into 3 equal pieces. Lightly brush each piece with water and stack them. 
• If the dough feels soft, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Repeat Lamination

• Roll the stacked dough back into a 30 × 14 cm rectangle.
• Repeat the process:
  • Cut into 3 pieces
  • Brush with water
  • Stack
• Do this for a total of 3 rounds of rolling and stacking. Keep the dough cold between rounds by wrapping and refrigerator for 20-30 minutes between each set if needed.

Final Roll & Chill

• After the third round, roll the dough to about 19 × 13 cm.
• Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to relax the gluten and firm the butter.

Trim & Cut

• Unwrap the chilled dough and trim about 1/2 cm from all edges to expose clean layers.
• Cut into 6 squares (about 5–6 cm each).
• Place on a lined baking sheet, leaving space for expansion.

Egg Wash & Finish

• Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
• Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.

Bake

• Bake for 15–18 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
• If browning too quickly: reduce to 190°C / 375°F
• If not browning enough: increase to 220°C / 425°F for the last few minutes
• Transfer to a rack and cool slightly. Serve and enjoy!