Puff Pasty Surprise Recipes

PUFF PASTRY SNACKS

Steps:

• Unfold thawed frozen puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into pieces just large enough to wrap around your food (see below) with a 1/2-inch overlap. Wrap, moisten the edge with water and pinch to seal.
• Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down. Whisk 1 egg with 2 tablespoons water; brush on the pastry and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Ideas:
• Bacon: Cook until crisp and drain; stack 3 slices.
• Chocolate bars
• Dill pickles
• Dried figs
• Goat Cheese: Use a thick slice; freeze 2 hours before wrapping.
• Jalapenos: Seed if desired.
• Mango chutney
• Marinated artichoke hearts: Drain and pat dry.
• Pears: Stack 3 slices.
• Portobello mushrooms: Remove the stems; scrape out the gills.
• Prosciutto: Stack 3 slices.
• Pitted Olives

QUICKEST PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Cut 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter into 1/2 to 1/4-inch dice, place on a plate and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.Measure water and add salt; stir to dissolve and set aside.
• Coarsely dice remaining 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter. Place flour in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade; add 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until butter is absorbed -- about ten to twelve 1-second pulses.
• Add remaining butter and pulse once or twice to distribute. Add water and pulse 3 or 4 times, just until dough forms a rough ball. Do not over-process.
• Flour work surface and scrape dough from work bowl. Shape dough into a rough rectangle and place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Press dough with rolling pin to flatten, then roll back and forth several times with rolling pin to make a 12 by 18 inch rectangle of dough.
• Peel away plastic wrap and invert dough to floured work surface. Peel away second piece of wrap. Fold dough in thirds in the width, folding the top third down and the bottom third up, to make a 6 by 18-inch rectangle, then roll up the dough from one of the 6-inch ends, making sure to roll end under dough. Press the dough into a square, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm.

HEARTS DELIGHT ECLAIR - MADE WITH PUFF PASTRY SHEETS

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 12 inch square.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets.
• (Original recipe calls for: "Using an 11 inch heart pattern, cut each pastry into a heart shape" - either way works well).
• Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. (Do not underbake - it's a good idea to check your oven temperature. If underbaked, the pastry will fall.).
• Remove to wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, whisk milk and pudding mix until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, beat cream and 1/2 t vanilla until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into pudding until consistent color but do not over stir.
• Split puff pastry sheets horizontally with a serrated knife.
• Place one layer on a serving plate and top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture.
• Repeat twice.
• Top with remaining pastry.
• In a small bowl combine confectioners sugar, water, almond extract and remaining vanilla and stir until smooth. (If necessary you can use a few drops more water if you find it difficult to spread but do not thin too much or you lose the white color which adds to its appearance).
• Carefully spread over top of dessert.
• Melt chocolate chips and shortening. Pipe in diagonal lines in one direction over frosting (if you don't have tips for piping, place in a plastic zip lock baggie,seal the bag and cut a small piece off the corner of the baggie to do the piping).
• Refrigerate until set - (remove from fridge about 15-20 minutes before serving to soften the top for easy cutting)
• This holds well overnight but we never seem to have any leftovers to keep any longer than that!