Jam Straws Recipes

JAM STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll pastry sheet to a 12 x 16" rectangle. Cut crosswise into 2 rectangles. Brush 1 rectangle with jam and place second sheet on top.
• Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle half on top. Press in gently with a rolling pin. Flip pastry over and repeat on other side.
• Cut pastry into 24 (1/2 inch wide) strips, leave flat or twist. Transfer to 2 parchment lined baking sheets, keeping 11/2 inches between them. Chill tray for 20 minutes.
• Bake until pastry is cooked through and golden, about 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.

CRUNCHY MANCHEGO FIG STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle. With a short side facing you, cut the dough in half horizontally: To do this, measure 7 inches up the side, mark the dough and cut in half, using the mark as a guide.
• Evenly spread the fig jam over the bottom half of the dough, leaving a little room around the edges. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over the jam. Top with the other half of the dough, pressing down lightly to adhere to the cheese and jam. With a pizza cutter, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips (about 24 strips).
• Twist each strip 4 or 5 times, then pinch the ends together to prevent unraveling while baking. Place the twists on the baking sheets. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and brush onto the twists. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
• Bake the cheese straws until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before releasing from the parchment with an offset spatula. Let cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

CRUNCHY MANCHEGO FIG STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two 18-by-13-inch sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Dust a work surface lightly with flour. Roll out the puff pastry into a 14-by-12-inch rectangle. With the short side facing you, cut the dough in half horizontally: Measure 7 inches up the side, mark the dough and cut in half, using the mark as a guide.
• Evenly spread the fig jam over the bottom half of the dough, leaving a little room at the edges. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the jam. Top with the other half of the dough, pressing down lightly to adhere to the cheese and jam. With a pizza cutter, cut into 1/2-inch strips (about 24 strips).
• Twist each strip four or five times, then pinch the ends together to prevent unraveling while baking. Place the twists on the prepared baking sheets.
• Mix the egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and brush onto the twists. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
• Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before releasing the straws from the parchment with an offset spatula. Let cool completely.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

JAM TARTS

Steps:

• Mix flour, shortening, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water and mix until a ball is formed. Refrigerate pastry until well chilled, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 24 shallow muffin cups.
• Roll pastry out thin; cut into rounds with a cookie cutter. Place each round in a muffin cup. Add 2 teaspoons of jam to each cup.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool tarts on a wire rack.

AMY'S STRAWBERRY JAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200c (or whatever the pastry packet recommends).
• Cut the puff pastry into 8 equal-sized pieces (keep them rectangular).
• put a teaspoonful or so of jam in the middle of each pastry rectange.
• fold up two opposite corners of the pastry and join in the middle (like a danish). You'll also need to curl up the other two corners of the pastry because otherwise when the pastry puffs up the jam will get pushed off onto the baking tray.
• Place on a baking tray (I like to grease with some 1-cal cooking spray) and brush the top of each pastry with milk/egg.
• Bake for approximately 10-15 mins or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
• Cool for a few minutes before serving (because the jam gets HOT).

CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Put the softened cheese and butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer. Using the heaviest mixer attachment, beat the cheese and butter until the mixture has the consistency of whipped cream, about 30 minutes.
• On a sheet of waxed paper, sift 3 cups of the flour with the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder. Gradually add the seasoned flour to the cheese mixture by large spoonfuls, beating well after each addition. Add the unseasoned flour until the dough is somewhat stiff but still soft enough to be pushed through a cookie press; you may not need to add all of the flour.
• Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Put a portion of the dough into a cookie press fitted with the star tube and press the dough onto the cookie sheet in long strips that run the length of the pan (see Note). Bake for 20 minutes. The cheese straws should be golden brown and crisp. With a sharp knife, cut the long strips into 3-inch lengths. Use a flat, thin spatula or egg turner to remove the cheese straws from the pan. Allow them to cool on a wire rack. When they are completely cool, store in a tightly covered container.
• If you find a Mirro cookie press, either vintage or new, that includes the star tube, grab it!
• If you don't have a cookie press, form the dough into 1-inch balls and flatten them with a fork.