A laminated dough is created by pressing together alternating layers of dough and butter.

Laminated dough is a pastry staple, most recognizable in the sharp crunch of puff pastry or the chewiness of a croissant.

The specific technique of pressing together the butter and flour depends on what kind of pastry you're going for, but generally butter is spread on a thin layer of the dough, and then the dough is folded and rolled out repeatedly to create many alternating layers, which then puff up in a hot oven. For more details on what happens as a laminated dough is cooked, check out Joe Pastry's explanation.