Cheese Puff Pastry Food

PUFF PASTRY CHEESE POCKETS

Steps:

• Remove Pastry Dough sheets from the refrigerator and let them defrost at room temperature for 20-30 min.
• In the meantime, in a medium bowl, using a spatula, mix together the cheese , eggs and milk.
• Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt.
• Add the butter to the mixture, using a spatula mix until well incorporated. Add the flour and continue mixing.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Position the Puff Pastry Dough sheets on a flat working surface and cut in squares (2-3 inches).
• Using a spoon, place the mixture (1-2 tbsp.) into the center of the squares. Make sure you have the same amount of squares without the filling, as they will be used to cover the other ones.
• After the cheese filling was distributed, take the remaining squares and place on top of the cheese filling, using your fingers to glues the two together, resulting in small cheese pockets.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 egg yolks and brush the top of the cheese pockets.
• Place in the oven and bake until golden, around 30 min.

HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
• Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
• Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over medium heat, until scalded. Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.
• Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside.

CHEESE & SPINACH PUFF PASTRY POCKETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the frozen pastry shells on the baking sheet and bake until they puff and become golden brown, about 20 minutes. Using a small knife, cut out the center of the pastry shells.
• Meanwhile, stir the cream, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach, Fontina cheese, Parmesan, and green onions. Spoon the spinach mixture into the baked pastry shells. Bake until the pastries are golden brown and the filling is hot, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pastries to a platter and serve.

MAC AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• 1. Make your mac and cheese like you normally would. Allow it to cool and "set-or firm up". Here is the link to Samantha Jacobs Mac and Cheese that is my GO-TO recipe. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/pasta/ooey-gooey-mac-and-cheese-2.html
• 2. Preheat oven to 400F.
• 3. Thaw the puff pastry dough. Lightly flour a board and lightly roll dough. Cut into 4 sections (or more if you want little bite-sized appetizer pieces).
• 4. Beat the egg in a little dish. This is your "glue" that will hold the dough together.
• 5. Cut a section of your mac and cheese and place on top of the puff pastry section. (I'm guessing I used a little more than 1/4 cup).
• 6. Brush egg wash around all sides of the puff pastry and fold each side up to meet. Pinch together, turn over and put "pretty side" up (seam sides down). Brush the top with egg wash.
• 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and slightly crispy-flaky.
• 8. Serve immediately with a light salad or a veggie garnish.

CREAM CHEESE PUFF PASTRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Unfold pastry sheet onto cutting board; cut into 12 squares. Press 1 pastry square onto bottom and up side of each of 12 muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 15 to 20 min. or until pastry cups are puffed and golden brown. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese and mozzarella until blended.
• Use rounded handle of wooden spoon to press hole into center of each pastry puff, being careful to not press through to bottom of cup. Fill each hole with 1 tsp. pasta sauce and about 1 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture.
• Bake 7 to 10 min. or until filling is heated through. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients.

PUFF PASTRY CHEESE AND CHIVES BASKETS

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix and combine ricotta, mozzarella, Swiss cheese, sea salt, pepper and chives. Set aside.
• Cut six circles measuring approximately 7 cm in diameter from each sheet of puff pastry and then line the same number of muffin silicone moulds with the pastry, using your fingers to press the dough up the sides.
• Fill each basket evenly with the cheese and chive mixture and bake in the oven at 200°C for about 15 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden and the filling melts.
• Allow the basket cool a little, remove them from silicone moulds, sprinkle with chopped chives and serve with cherry tomatoes.