Puff Pastry Cookies Food

PALMIERS (FRENCH PUFF PASTRY COOKIES)

Steps:

• Thaw out puff pastry, but make sure it stays chilled. You want it pliable (chill it again if it gets warm and sticky). Puff pastry should already be 1/8 inch thick - if not, roll it out to that thickness.
• If your pastry cracks you can seal it together with a little water and your finger.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or a section from a brown paper bag to fit.
• Spread SUGAR on the counter like you would flour to roll out dough.
• Lay out one sheet of pastry (keep 2nd sheet in fridge for now). Sprinkle the top with sugar as if you were rolling the dough out.
• Take the two sides of dough and fold them in towards each other halfway to the center and press down lightly.
• Then take the folded edges and fold them in to meet in the center. Then fold them together like closing a book, it should look like a U shape.
• Cut into 3/8 inch slices with a sharp knife and place on cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle with a light coating of sugar and place in the oven for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Work on the second sheet at this time.
• Pull out and turn cookies over and sprinkle that side. Bake 3-5 minutes more or until center is done and edges are golden.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool, then store in an airtight container.
• Optional items: Use cinnamon sugar in place of sugar.
• The glaze can be drizzled over the top to finish it off.

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.

PUFF PASTRY CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line large baking tray with baking parchment. Stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Unravel the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture all over the top. Gently level the cinnamon sugar mixture with the back of a spoon so it covers the pastry almost completely, leaving a 1cm border on one of the short sides. Brush a little of the beaten egg over the exposed pastry border.
• Roll the pastry up in a tight log from the short side without the border. Gently press along the egg-washed border to seal, then slice into 12 equal rounds. Arrange the cinnamon rolls on the prepared baking tray, placing them up against each other so they're just touching. Brush the remaining beaten egg all over the tops and sides of the pastry, then bake for 15-18 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool on the tray for 10-15 mins.
• Combine the icing sugar with 1½ tsp water in a small bowl until you have a thick icing that easily runs off the spoon. Drizzle this over the warm rolls, then immediately serve.

PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Ok, you get the whole story!
• "Before beginning the adventure with puff paste there is one thing to be explained that will make its compositions comparatively easy.
• (Ha Ha!) The butter used must be washed.
• The purpose of washing it is to make it elastic.
• It should be soft through being kneaded, but in no sense soft through being melted- quite the contrary, it must be soft and cold at the same time.
• In winter turn on the cold water faucet.
• Manipulate the butter with the hands under the stream of cold water until it is creamy and waxy.
• At other seasons, do this in a quart of ice water placed in a bowl of ice.
• The butter may be kneaded with a spoon if preferred.
• The final kneading of the butter is done on a board or it is patted briskly in the hands until no water flies.
• This is the recipe of a professional cook.
• As it calls for egg yolks it differs from the orthodox rule for puff paste.
• However, her results are remarkable and her method is simple, so I am giving it in preference to the usual rather complicated recipes.
• (Ha Ha again, it is complicated!) She stresses 2 points: Keep the hands, the bowl, the board and the rolling pin as cold as possible.
• (Ha Ha, your hands will be frostbitten!) A cold windy day is best for making puff paste.
• "Work with hands,as in the first paragraph, under water, 1 cup of butter.
• Place 1/4 cup butter in a cold bowl.
• Form the remainder into a square and place it where it will keep cold.
• Add to the butter in the bowl, the flour and salt, work these ingredients with a pastry blender, 2 knives or the finger tips.
• Beat and add 1/4 cup ice water and 2 egg yolks, (the yolks may be omitted, in that case use in all, 6 tablespoons of water).
• Work these ingredients well with the hands.
• If necessary add, to loosen the dough from the bowl, a pinch of flour.
• Place the dough were it will be cold but will not freeze, preferably in the open air.
• If it is not possible to do this, fold the dough in a clean cloth and place it in a dripping pan that has been placed between 2 dripping pans filled with ice.
• After 15 minutes, roll the dough into a square on a floured board.
• Roll it one way only, not back and forth.
• A good way is out from the centre.
• Put the square of butter in the centre of the dough and fold the 4 corners to the centre completely covering the butter.
• Permit the dough to stand on a cloth or piece of waxed paper in a cold place for 1/2 hour.
• Turn it once to keep it from becoming dry.
• Roll out the dough again into a square and fold the corners to the centre.
• Permit it to stand again for 1/2 hour.
• Repeat this process.
• The dough must be chilled and rolled at least 4 times in all.
• Chill the dough until you are ready to use it.
• Wrapped in waxed paper it may be kept in the refrigerator for several days.
• Roll it, cut it into shapes.
• Chill it again and bake it.
• One of the secrets of success of puff paste is to have it ice cold when placed in a hot oven.
• The matter of baking puff paste is a moot point.
• In all rules the very cold paste is put into a very hot oven- 500°F.
• In some it is baked at this temperature throughout.
• In this case the pastry is covered with waxed paper after 10 minutes baking.
• In other rules the heat is reduced 50 degrees every 5 minutes until the temperature is 350°F for final baking.
• GOOD LUCK!

PUFF PASTRY PINWHEEL COOKIES WITH JAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 16x13-inch rectangle. Trim edges neatly, forming 15x12-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into twenty 3-inch squares. Using small sharp knife, make 1-inch-long diagonal cut in all 4 corners of 1 square, cutting toward center (do not cut through center). To form pinwheels, fold every other point of puff pastry toward center of square, pressing to adhere. Repeat with remaining puff pastry squares.
• Brush pinwheels lightly with egg glaze. Sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Place scant 1/2 teaspoon jam in center of each. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake until pinwheels are golden and puffed, about 13 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack and cool. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet, glaze, sugar and jam.
• Sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar, if desired. (Can be prepared ahead. Place cookies between waxed paper sheets in airtight containers and freeze up to 2 weeks; thaw before packing, or store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.)

PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Gradually stir in water until the dough holds together enough to clean the sides of the bowl. You may not need the full amount of water. Shape into a flat ball, and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Place the butter between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound into a flat disc using a rolling pin or other heavy object. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Place the disc of chilled butter in the center and fold the two ends over it so that it is completely encased in dough. Roll out the dough again, taking care not to let the butter break through the dough, to about 1/2 inch thickness. Fold into thirds. This is the first ''turn''. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and roll out into a rectangle again. Fold into thirds. By this time the butter is starting to warm up. Place the dough on a baking sheet and mark it with two pokes from your finger (two turns). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Repeat this rolling, folding and turning two more times, then refrigerate until firm. Repeat two more times for a total of 6 ''turns''. Wrap and refrigerate. The dough is now ready to roll out and use in any recipe calling for puff pastry. Roll the dough out as thin as 1/4 inch to make pastries. Bake in a preheated oven of at least 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) to get the maximum puff from your pastry.