Hard 60 min serves 6

Flaky Layer Pastry (酥皮烧饼)

Name: Flaky Layer Pastry (酥皮烧饼)
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Jiangsu-Zhejiang Home Cooking
Ingredients: All-purpose flour; Lard (for dough); Lard (for paste); All-purpose flour (for paste); Warm water; White sesame seeds; Salt

酥皮烧饼 · sū pí shāo bǐng

家庭快手版 · Home version: 家庭酥皮版：多次折叠产生数百层酥皮

This is the technique that impressed my mother-in-law — a pastry so flaky it crumbles into golden shards. The multiple-fold method comes from French puff pastry but uses Chinese lard and technique. Each bite releases a cloud of layers.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Breakfast & Brunch

Ingredients

All-purpose flour中筋面粉🛒 local300 g
Lard (for dough)猪油（和面用）🛒 local30 g
Lard (for paste)猪油（油酥用）🛒 local150 g
All-purpose flour (for paste)面粉（油酥用）🛒 local150 g
Warm water温水🛒 local140 ml
White sesame seeds白芝麻🛒 local30 g
Salt盐🛒 local4 g

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Make dough: combine flour, salt, 30g lard and warm water. Knead 10 minutes until very smooth. Rest covered 30 minutes.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 面团应能通过薄透测试——拉薄不破Dough should pass the 'windowpane test' — stretch thin without tearing
You know it's right when: 面团光滑如橡皮
2Make oil paste: mix 150g softened lard with 150g flour until smooth. Should be plasticine-like.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 油酥应顺滑握之成团Paste should be smooth and hold shape when squeezed
You know it's right when: 油酥不粘手
3Roll dough into large rectangle (30x20cm). Spread oil paste evenly, leaving 1cm border.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 油酥层应均匀无露白Oil paste layer should be uniform, no bare flour spots
You know it's right when: 油酥覆盖完整
4Fold like letter: left third over center, right third over. Roll again, fold again. Repeat 3 times total.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 每次折叠后面团应凉爽——若发热需冷藏10分钟After each fold, dough should be cool — if warm, chill 10 minutes
You know it's right when: 层次分明不混粘
5Final roll into 30x20cm rectangle. Cut into 6 squares. Brush with water, press sesame on top.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 切面应见清晰层次——若模糊说明折叠不均Cut edge should show clear layers — if blurred, folds were uneven
You know it's right when: 切面层次清晰
6Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 22-25 minutes. Rotate halfway. Cool on rack 5 minutes.
🔍 Look for Medium-high 约22-25分钟
Visual: 酥皮应大幅膨胀呈金琥珀色Pastry should puff significantly and turn golden amber
You know it's right when: 敲底声音清脆如空鼓

Tips

· Keep everything cold — warm lard makes heavy pastry
· The 3-fold method creates 3^3 = 27 layers minimum; more folds = more layers
· If dough springs back, rest it 5 more minutes — gluten needs to relax
· These freeze well — reheat straight from freezer at 180°C for 10 minutes

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I reduce the salt/soy in this recipe?

Yes — soy sauce is the main sodium source. Use light soy at 2/3 amount and finish with salt only to taste. Rinse canned/doubanjiang components if possible. Note: reducing soy also reduces color; a drop of dark soy or a pinch of sugar can restore depth without salt.

Source: HǎoWèi diet guide

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

My dish came out too salty. Can I fix it?

Quick fixes: add a squeeze of lemon/vinegar (acidity masks salt), stir in a few potato chunks or rice (they absorb salt — remove before serving), or bulk it out with more rice/vegetables. Next time: add soy sauce in two stages, taste in the middle, and remember light soy + a pinch of salt is often enough.

Source: HǎoWèi cooking science