Gusstorte Swiss Almond Fruit 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.

FRESH FRUIT FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place 1 piece of puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Lightly moisten one of the short edges with water. Connect the end of the other puff pastry to the moistened edge. Press pieces together to form a long rectangle, trimming off loose ends with a dough scraper as needed.
• Cut the third puff pastry piece lengthwise into 1-inch strips. Moisten the outer edges of the long rectangle with your finger; stick the pastry strips on top. Poke shallow holes all over the bottom of the dough using a fork. Do not prick the raised border.
• Bake pastry shell in the preheated oven until it starts to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Readjust the borders and push the bottom down with the flat side of a fork. Let cool completely while preparing the filling.
• Place butter and 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl; smear together using a spatula until combined. Whisk in egg until mixture is creamy. Add almond flour, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix thoroughly. Cut each pluot into 6 wedges. Fill pastry shell with the almond paste. Stick the pluots snugly, but not too deeply, into the filling.
• Bake in the preheated oven until browned and almond filling is set, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer tart onto a wire rack and let cool completely, at least 40 minutes.
• Combine apricot jam and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring to a boil in the microwave. Let cool until warm. Brush glaze over the cooled tart.

GUSSTORTE (SWISS ALMOND & FRUIT PASTRY)

Steps:

• Cook the dried fruit by simmering in a saucepan of water until softened enough to mash.
• Drain well and allow to cool slightly before processing in a food processor to a thick, chunky pulp.
• Have this done in advance and at room temperature when ready to fill pastry.
• Set flour for the pastry dough in a bowl and using two forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter pieces until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
• Add water a little at a time, mixing until the dough starts to form up a ball.
• Gather into a ball with your hands gently and knead on a very lightly floured surface just enough to make a smooth ball of dough- do not overwork the dough.
• Cover in plastic and chill while preparing filling.
• If you prefer, you may substitute a premade refrigerated pastry dough.
• Beat the eggs until they are thick and lemony.
• Beat in the granulated sugar 1 Tbsp at a time.
• Fold in the nuts.
• Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface and cut to fit into the bottom of a 9-inch well greased springform pan.
• Spread the cooled mashed fruit over the dough and then pour the nut mixture over the fruit.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the eggy filling is set.
• Chill, then remove sides of pan carefully, slice and serve.
• Store in the refrigerator.

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!!).

ALMOND PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Unroll 1 package of crescent rolls across the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
• (4 rectangles fit across the short way.) Press or stretch lightly to fit, and pinch perforations together to seal.
• Mix cream cheese, egg yolk, almond extract and sugar.
• Spread over 1st layer.
• Unroll 2nd package of crescent rolls and stretch to fit over the top.
• Slightly beat egg white and brush on top layer of crescent rolls.
• Sprinkle with additional sugar, then sliced almonds.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, till golden brown.
• Cool completely before cutting.

PUFF-PASTRY TARTS WITH STONE FRUITS AND FRANGIPANE

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add granulated sugar, butter, 1 egg, salt, and cinnamon; process until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. On a lightly floured surface, cut pastry into 6 four-inch-squares and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush edges of pastry with egg wash. Spread 2 teaspoons almond mixture in center of each square; top with 4 pieces fruit. Sprinkle each tart with some turbinado sugar.
• Bake until tarts are golden brown and fruit has softened, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with flowers; serve.

ENGADINER NUSSTORTE (SWISS NUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Grease a 12" spring form pan and put aside until needed.
• For the filling: Put 12 oz sugar in a frying-pan, fry slowly until the sugar starts to foam, do not stir, because the sugar will get lumpy.
• Next add the walnuts, mix well and remove from the heat before the sugar gets too brown.
• Now add the cream immediately and let it boil down, remove from heat and allow to cool.
• For the dough: Mix the flour, margarine or butter and the remaining 5 oz of sugar, the egg and the salt and make a dough.
• Cut the dough into three peices, two of the same size and one slightly smaller.
• Roll the two peices of the same size to make up a bottom and a top of the cake in a 12" pan.
• Form a roll with the third piece and place it on the sides of the spring form pan .
• Pour the filling evenly on the bottom, and then cover the cake with the top peice.
• Bake in the oven at lower level at 400°F for 40-45 minutes.
• Open the spring form pan immediately after removing from the oven to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.

SWISS-ALMOND FLORET BAKE -TASTE OF HOME

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower and broccoli; return to a boil. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• In another large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in the cheese, jam, curry, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
• Place the cauliflower and broccoli in a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Top with cheese sauce. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. -6.

PUFF-PASTRY FRUIT TART WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut 3/4-inch-wide strip off each side of pastry and reserve. Roll out pastry square on work surface to 9 1/2-inch square. Brush edges of square with egg glaze. Arrange 3/4-inch-wide strips atop edges, forming raised border. Brush border with glaze. Pierce center of pastry all over with fork. Bake until pastry is golden brown about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend almond paste and cream in processor until almost smooth. Spoon almond filling into center of tart and spread evenly. Bake 5 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
• Melt jam with ginger in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Arrange fruit decoratively atop tart. Brush jam glaze over fruit. Cut tart into squares and serve.