Strawberry Nutella Stuffed Pastry

        

It’s strawberry season!  I love strawberry shortcake just as much as the next person, but sometimes I need chocolate.  These flaky, buttery pastries are filled with rich nutella, and juicy sweet red strawberries.  They are amazing!

If you don’t want to go to all the trouble to make puff pastry yourself (and who could blame you!), purchase some in the freezer section of your local grocer.

So go ahead and swap that shortcake for a buttery pastry, it’s the perfect hand-held, make-ahead, summer-time, Memorial day/4th of July-celebrating treat.  Be sure to make extra, because these go fast!

Puff Pastry Adapted from Volume Two Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cake flour

3/4 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoons

1 1/8 cup ice water*

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

Whisk the flours together in a medium bowl.  Scoop out 1/2 cup of the flour mixture to use later – set aside.**

Add the butter to the remaining flour mixture and cut it in until you have pea-sized crumbles of butter and flour.

Add salt to the ice water* and stir until completely dissolved.

Pour the salt water into the flour mixture and mix together until combined.  The dough may be slightly tacky.

*I usually measure 1 cup of water and add ice to make 1 1/8 cup stirring vigorously until melted.  Once the ice is melted, I pour off any extra liquid.

**You will use this to combine with the butter that goes in between the dough layers.

On a large piece of parchment (lightly floured) shape the dough into a square and flatten it slightly.  Wrap up the dough in the parchment and place it in a plastic bag.  Refrigerate for about 45 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.

In the meantime, prepare your butter layer.

Butter Layer

3 sticks of cold, unsalted butter

1/2 cup of reserved flour mixture

On a piece of parchment, place the three sticks of butter and pound them with a rolling pin until they appear pliable.  Add the flour to the butter and work them together with bottom of your hand.  Do this until all the flour has been incorporated into the butter.  Shape the butter mixture into a square (more or less) and wrap it up in the parchment and put it in the refrigerate to chill.

Before you continue, make sure the butter layer has hardened.  If not, allow it to do so before moving to the next step.

When the butter has hardened, take out the square of dough and place it on lightly floured parchment.  Roll the dough into a large square (using more flour as needed to prevent sticking).  Place the chilled butter in the center, and wrap it up – first pulling the top of the dough over, then the right side, then the bottom, then the left side.  Now it should resemble a package.

Turn the package over and pound the dough evenly with the rolling pin, flattening out the butter layer.  Once the dough has flattened out a bit, begin to roll the dough out - about 16 inches in length and 8 inches in width.  Sprinkle with flour as needed to prevent sticking.

When it is completely rolled out, fold the dough like a letter, folding the bottom section halfway up the middle, then folding the top down.  Place the dough in front of you with the fold on your left side.

Roll out the dough again and repeat the folding.  Wrap the dough up in parchment and place in a plastic bag.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Next. .

Roll and fold

Roll and fold, wrap up and refrigerate for 1 hour

Roll and fold

Roll and fold, wrap up and refrigerate for 1 hour

Now the dough is ready for baking. . .whew, that was a lot of work!

Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, trim off edges so it’s somewhat uniform.  I use a pizza cutter to do this.  Then cut into rectangles.

For the plain pastry, fold the dough over itself and crimp using a fork.  Place pastries on parchment, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.  Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with sugar just before baking.

Bake in a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Gently lift the pastry (with a spatula) to check to see if the bottoms are browned before removing from the oven, otherwise they will deflate as they cool.

Strawberry Nutella Pastry

Nutella

Strawberries, washed and dried

Cut a pastry if half, slather nutella on the bottom half, and top with sliced fresh strawberries, fold over the top.  Eat immediately.  Enjoy!

Egg wash

1 egg

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Whisk together the egg and the heavy cream until combined.

To make the chocolate stuffed bird pastries, buy these cutters.  Then use the cutter to cut the shape on the bottom section of the pastry.  Flip the pastry over and place chocolate chips on the bottom section, then fold the cut-out section over, and crimp the sides with a fork.  Place the bird cut-out on top.  Place the pastry on parchment, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, checking the bottom to make sure it’s brown before removing from the oven.

Linking to Tidy Mom

Lemon Curd Stuffed Pastry

I just couldn’t let today go by without wishing my sweet nephew a happy birthday!  In honor of him, I made some lemon curd pastries.  While sugar cookies would have been more fitting, it’s citrus season and I wanted to show you just how versatile lemon curd can be!

If you’ve never made it before, it really is simple – click here for my favorite recipe.  I used this recipe for the pie crust, because I wanted it to be just like puff pastry without all of the work.  I just rolled out the pie dough and used a round scalloped cutter, and baked them in the oven at 425 degrees for 18 minutes.

When they’re cool, slice them in half and spread with lemon curd and top with sweetened freshly whipped cream.  You can then top them with the other half of pastry if desired.

Strawberry Thumbprint Scones

These aren’t your typical dry biscuits – nope, these are so much better.  They’re soft, cake-like, moist bits of yumminess, or as my son calls them ”awesome good.”

They come together fast in the food processor and go right into the oven.  My favorite part is the strawberry jam in the middle – I mean, who doesn’t like a little glimpse of summer in the winter?!  That’s why people can summer produce, right?

I almost didn’t make these, being that it’s still Christmas break here and it’s crazy with the kids still at home (happily riding their scooters around the house while dad is at work, because that’s why we have a wood floor, right?).

You see, Christmas Break = verge of a nervous breakdown for me.  I knew if I made these and they failed, then I would have pushed myself over the edge, because nothing puts a wrinkle in my panties like wasting precious resources (I’m talking my time and energy) making a recipe that doesn’t turn out.

And trying said recipe in the midst of wiping crayon off of a laptop, while explaining that “life isn’t fair, which kind of makes it fair” to feuding siblings, and chasing down the offender who keeps throwing candy wrappers on the floor – well, it was a gamble.

But all’s well that ends well, because this one is a keeper.

This recipe came from this cookbook - which is also a keeper.  And I have to add a big thanks to my in-laws for the wonderful homegrown (frozen) strawberries I used to prepare these!

Strawberry Thumbprint Scones Adapted from Savory Sweet Life

2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup jam (I used strawberry topping – recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse.  Add the pieces of butter and pulse until coarse crumbs appear.  Pour the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the heavy cream, egg, and vanilla - stir just until combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times.  Roll the dough into a large ball and cut into quarters.  Roll each of those into balls and press (or roll) the dough into 1/2 to 3/4 inch circle and, using a pizza cutter, cut each flattened disk into quarters.

Place each scone onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Gently press your thumb in the middle of each scone – I did it a couple of times to make room for more filling - the best part!  Spoon a heaping spoonful into the indentation.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Prepare glaze while the scones are cooling, and drizzle the scones with the glaze.

Almond Glaze Adapted from Savory Sweet Life

1/4 cup milk

1 – 2 cups powdered sugar (add as needed to get a thick consistency)

1 teaspoon almond extract

Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, almond extract, and the milk in a small bowl.  Whisk until thick, but pourable.  If it’s still too thin (mine was) add more powdered sugar.

Strawberry Topping Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

dash of salt

1/3 cup water

4 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

Place the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and whisk together to break up any lumps.  Then add the water and stir well.  Add in the strawberries.

Over medium heat, cook and stir until the sauce is thick and just starting to boil.  Stir for 1 to 2 minutes more, then take off the heat and let cool.  Store in the refrigerator.

Delicious served over ice cream, cheesecake, on top of fresh baked scones, or to coat fresh strawberries for pie!  Yum!

Spiced Apple Hand Pies

My daughter wanted to make apple hand pies, and after I saw this post I knew exactly what recipe I was going to use for the crust.  It’s basically a short-cut puff pastry, and it’s flaky and fun to work with.

We used these cutters for the star.  The trick to using these, is to push the cutter by the base into the dough (like a cookie cutter), then push the plunger down and lift out.  Next, you can push the plunger and out pops the dough shape.

Pie Dough Adapted from this post

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup cold butter, divided and cut into 16 pieces

1/2 cup cold sour cream, full fat

In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and baking powder and pulse until combined.  Next, add 1/2 cup (which is 1 stick or, 8 pieces) of butter and pulse until crumbly.  Then add the remaining stick of butter (cut into chunks) and pulse for just a few seconds.

*You want big chunks of butter in the dough so that when you fold it you create layers of butter that puff up really nicely in the oven.

Pour mixture into a bowl and add the sour cream.  Stir until the dough starts to form a ball, and then roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface.  Fold the bottom up,  then the top down, and turn it so the fold is on your left, and roll it again, repeating the folding.

Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for an hour, or overnight.

When you’re ready to roll out the dough, place it on a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/4 inch thick.  Then cut it into rectangles (a pizza cutter works well for this).

Next, scoop some filling in the center of one pastry, and place a star cut-out pastry on top and then crimp the edges with a fork, and brush with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon water).

Next, place the star cut-outs on the egg washed pastry and press gently to adhere, then coat the star accent with egg wash.  Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 18 minutes.

Coat with glaze (see recipe below) while still hot.

Enjoy!

Apple Filling

3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cut into chunks

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

pinch of salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Toss the apples into a bowl with the cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon and stir to coat.  Next, add the salt and lemon juice and continue to mix until the apples are completely coated.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat, and pour in the apple mixture.  Cook until the apple mixture thickens, about 5 to 8 minutes.  If it becomes too thick, add water a Tablespoon at a time until it loosens.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Take off the heat and set aside to fill pastries.

*The apples shouldn’t be completely cooked down, since they’ll continue to cook when the pastry is baked.

Glaze Adapted from this post

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon milk

Whisk together until there are no lumps.  Add more milk as necessary.  Brush onto hot pastries to create that beautiful shine.

Linking to Jam Hands, Lil’ Luna

4th of July Fruit Stuffed Pastry

The 4th of July is almost here!  I can’t believe how fast this summer if flying by.  If you’re looking for a fast, fresh, and festive dessert to celebrate the holiday – look no further!  Fresh fruit is the perfect way to end a barbecue since it’s so light and refreshing.

I made my own puff pastry dough, but you could also purchase some in the freezer section of your grocery store.

I cut the dough into rectangles and scalloped circles, then brushed them with eggwash, and sprinkled sugar on top.  Next, I baked them in the oven at 425 degrees for 16 minutes.

Since they puffed up so much (hence the name), I pulled off the top layer and then scooped a generous portion of sweetened whip cream in the center of each, and topped them with fresh fruit.

As an extra treat, I filled the raspberries with melted chocolate.

Serve immediately after assembling.

A big salute to all veterans, the troops, and their families . . . .because freedom isn’t free! 

Happy 4th!

Linking to Tidy Mom, I Heart Naptime

Apple Fritter Pull-Apart Bread

I love reading other blogs – especially the food ones.  I get so many ideas that I hadn’t thought of before.  This is one of those recipes. . .I found it here.  And since my husband really likes apple fritters I knew this was one I was going to have to try soon.  Like today.  Because I had apples.

I wrote the recipe in the order that I prepared it – so that’s why the filling is listed first!  Skip on over here to see a great tutorial – since I didn’t have time to take pictures of all the steps.

Here are some more “pull-apart” recipes I’ve been wanting to try, so click on over if they sound good to you too!  Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread and Cheddar, Beer, and Mustard Pull-Apart Bread.

Apple Fritter Pull-Apart Bread Adapted from here

Filling:

6 apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I used Granny Smith)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons, unsalted butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan, and cook until the apples have cooked down a bit and the sauce has thickened.  Set aside to cool.

Dough Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

1 package active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

3 – 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

In a medium-size bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.  In a small saucepan whisk the sour cream, sugar, shortening, and salt.  Heat until warmed through (the shortening should be melted) and whisk in the baking soda.

Add the sour cream mix and the egg to the yeast mixture and stir well.  Add the flour – the dough will be soft.  Knead the dough gently on a lightly floured surface until smooth; cover the dough with a bowl turned upside down for 5 minutes.

To assemble: roll out the dough into a large rectangle and spread cooled filling evenly on top.  Cut into slices to fit your pan (a pizza cutter makes this a breeze) - and stack three or four on top of one another (using a sturdy spatula).  I was able to get 16 slices out of my dough.

Spray a loaf pan (I used this one) with non-stick spray.  Have another person hold the loaf pan at an angle so you can layer the loaf without all of it sliding to the bottom of your pan.  Place one stack at a time in the pan.

Place the loaf in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until nicely golden and cooked through in the middle.  I’ve found that I can touch the dough in the center of the loaf (carefully – it’s hot!) and if it’s still squishy it isn’t cooked through.

Take out of the oven to cool for about 20 minutes.  Move onto a serving dish and top with glaze.

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and the half and half (adding more as necessary to make it pourable).  Add the vanilla.  Drizzle over the fritter.

Linking to Chef In Training, Inside BruCrew Life, Tidy Mom, Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons, I Heart Naptime

Overnight Sticky Cinnamon Rolls

My family loves these cinnamon rolls, and I love that they can be prepared the night before.  They have a gooey caramel bottom (like a sticky bun), a soft, warm cinnamon interior, and luscious, thick frosting on top.  Store any leftover rolls in the refrigerator to warm up later!

Overnight Sticky Cinnamon Rolls

Dough Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

1 package active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons shortening

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

3 – 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

In a medium-size bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water.  In a small saucepan whisk the sour cream, sugar, shortening, and salt.  Heat until warmed through (the shortening should be melted) and whisk in the baking soda.  Add the sour cream mix and the egg to the yeast mixture and stir well.  Add the flour – the dough will be soft.  Knead the dough gently on a lightly floured surface until smooth; cover the dough with a bowl turned upside down for 5 minutes.  While the dough is resting, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and make the caramel spread (recipe below).

After 5 minutes, roll your dough out on a lightly floured surface, in an 18 by 12 inch rectangle.  Spread the cinnamon paste on the dough.  Then roll the dough starting from the long side into a spiral and cut 9 rolls – 2 inches thick each.  Place each section (cut-side down) in the pan (on top of the caramel spread).

Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.  The next morning set the pan out for about an hour to allow the stoneware (if using) to warm up so it won’t crack in the oven.

Place the rolls in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes.  Take them out of the oven and spread cream cheese frosting (see recipe below) on them while they’re warm.

Caramel Pan Spread

2 sticks of slightly softened butter

1 ½ cups light brown sugar (packed)

Corn syrup –as needed (to make it spreadable)

Beat together with hand-held mixer until combined, and spreadable.  Set aside ½ of the spread to make the cinnamon paste (recipe below).  Spread the remaining caramel in your pan – I use a 10 by 10 inch stoneware pan (purchased from King Arthur Flour).

Cinnamon Paste

Use ½ of the caramel pan spread and add. . .

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons of cinnamon

Corn syrup – as needed

Beat altogether until combined.  Set aside until you’re ready to spread it on your dough.

Cream Cheese Frosting Adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook

1 – 8-ounce package cream cheese

¾ cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the butter and cream cheese together.  Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.  Set aside until the rolls are done.*

*This frosting can sit out for 30 minutes.  If you make it the night before, store it in the refrigerator.

Linking to Tidy Mom