Almond Flour Puff Pastry Food

ALMOND PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and salt; cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water; stir with a fork until blended. Shape dough into a ball; divide in half. Place dough 3 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet; pat each into a 12x3-in. rectangle., In a large saucepan, bring remaining butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in extract and remaining flour until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Spread over rectangles. Bake at 400° until topping is lightly browned, 18-20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks., For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, water and extract; beat until smooth. Spread over pastries; sprinkle with almonds.

ALMOND PUFF PASTRIES

Steps:

• Unfold pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into nine 3-in. squares. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets; set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk and water; brush over pastry squares. In another bowl, beat egg white; add almonds and sugar. Spread over each square. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until well puffed and browned. Cool completely on wire racks., Split pastries in half horizontally. Fill with whipped cream; replace tops. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.

PUFF PASTRY TART FILLED WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Purée almond paste, granulated sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 egg, vanilla, and almond extract and purée until incorporated. Add flour and pulse until incorporated.
• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into an 11 1/2-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, then brush off excess flour from both sides. Cut out an 11-inch round by tracing around an inverted plate with tip of a paring knife. Transfer round to a buttered large baking sheet (not dark metal, or pastry may brown too much), discarding trimmings, and chill. Repeat procedure with second pastry sheet, leaving round on floured surface.
• Beat remaining egg with a fork and brush some over top of second round. Score round decoratively all over using tip of knife, then make several small slits all the way through pastry, at about 2-inch intervals, to create steam vents.
• Brush some of egg in a 1-inch-wide border around edge of chilled pastry round (on baking sheet). Mound almond cream in center of chilled round, spreading slightly, and bury bean in cream. Immediately cover with decorated round and press edges together lightly. Holding a small spoon with side at an angle, press around edge to seal galette decoratively.
• Bake galette in lower third of oven until puffed and pale golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Dust galette with confectioners sugar and bake in upper third of oven until edge is deep golden brown and shiny, 12 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.

PITHIVIERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add almond flour, 2 egg yolks, and rum; mix until frangipane is smooth.
• Roll out puff pastry sheets and cut into 2 equal circles. Place the first circle on the baking sheet and pierce several times with a fork. Spread frangipane on the circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
• Brush uncovered puff pastry edge with a little water and lay the second puff pastry circle on top. Seal the edges by pressing together.
• Using a sharp knife, cut a decorative pattern around the rim. Trace decorative lines onto the surface without cutting all the way through. Beat remaining egg yolk with a fork; brush over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake until pastry is puffed up and lightly browned, about 20 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners' sugar.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Place pithiviers under the broiler and broil until a golden, shiny crust forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.

ALMOND DANISH PUFF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cut 1/2 cup softened butter into 1 cup flour, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over mixture; mix with fork.
• Gather pastry into ball; divide in half.
• Pat each half into rectangle, 12x3 inches, about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Heat remaining 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water to rolling boil in 2-quart saucepan; remove from heat.
• Quickly stir in almond extract and 1 cup flour.
• Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.
• Add eggs; beat until smooth. Spread half of the topping over each rectangle.
• Bake about 1 hour or until topping is crisp and brown; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Spread with Creamy Almond Glaze; sprinkle with almonds.
• Creamy Almond Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 2-3 tbsp butter, softened; 1/2 to 1 tsp almond extract; 1-2 tbsp warm water or milk.
• Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable and glaze the Danish puff.

FRUITY ALMOND PUFF PASTRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sheet of puff pastry in the center of a baking sheet fitted with parchment. Top the puff with another sheet of parchment. Place a baking sheet directly on top of the parchment on top of the puff pastry. This weighs down the puff as it bakes and makes it uniform.
• Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake until the puff pastry is partially cooked and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and take the baking sheet and top sheet of parchment off the pastry.
• While the pastry is baking, make the frangipane. In the bowl of the food processor, pulse the almonds until they become like a coarse, wet powder. Add the sugar, butter, flour, almond extract, cinnamon and egg and pulse until it forms a paste.
• Gently spread the frangipane in an even layer over the puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and place the baking sheet back in the center of the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake until the frangipane and pastry are browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• In a small pot, warm the jam over low heat until it melts slightly, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer the puff to a flat surface and use a serrated knife to gently cut into 9 even pieces. Arrange the pieces close together on a serving platter as if they make a whole tart. Drizzle some of the warmed jam over the top edges of the pastry and frangipane to create a "glue" for the raspberries to stick to the pastry. Arrange the raspberries over the top of each piece. Drizzle the remaining jam gently over the raspberries and finish with a sprinkle of sugar for added texture. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate the leftovers (if there are any!!).

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND PUFF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Place 1 cup flour in large bowl; cut in 1/2 cup butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 2 tablespoons water with fork until flour mixture is just moistened. Shape dough into a ball. Pat dough into 10-inch circle on ungreased baking sheet. Set aside.
• Combine 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil and butter is melted (6 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup flour and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture forms a ball (about 1 minute). Remove from heat.
• Add 1 egg at a time, beating with wire whisk or wooden spoon after each addition until smooth and glossy.
• Spread egg mixture over pastry circle. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until surface is crisp and golden. Cool completely. (Topping rises during baking and shrinks during cooling, forming custard-like layer.).
• Combine powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in small bowl until well mixed. Add enough milk for desired glazing consistency.
• Drizzle glaze over puff; sprinkle with almonds.
• Recipe Tip
• Wrap coffee cake puff in plastic food wrap or aluminum foil; refrigerate up to 2 days.
• VARIATIONS:
• Lemon Pecan Puff: Omit almond extract in topping. Substitute 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel. Omit almond extract and milk in glaze. Substitute 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Omit sliced almonds. Sprinkle puff with 1/4 cup chopped pecans.
• Maple Pecan Puff: Omit almond extract in topping. Substitute 1 teaspoon maple extract. Omit almond extract in glaze. Substitute 1 teaspoon maple extract. Omit sliced almonds. Sprinkle puff with 1/4 cup chopped pecans.

DANISH ALMOND PUFF

Steps:

• Place 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl. Mix in butter using a fork or a pastry blender. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over, and stir with a fork until dough comes together. Divide into two balls. Pat dough into two long strips on an ungreased baking sheet, about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and remove from the heat. Immediately stir in 1 cup of flour until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Gradually stir in the eggs until well blended. Divide evenly, and spread over the two crusts on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 1 hour. Allow to cool almost to room temperature before frosting.
• To make the frosting, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract and a splash of milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the Danish, and decorate with candy sprinkles if desired.