Puff Pastry Dunkers Food

PUFF PASTRY DUNKERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the creme anglaise: Bring the milk, cream, vanilla and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a medium heatproof bowl until well combined.
• When the milk mixture comes to a simmer, pour about a quarter of it into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to combine. Place the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture over low heat. While whisking constantly, add the yolk mixture to the saucepan. (Reserve the bowl.) Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Switch to a silicone spatula and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to heavily coat the spatula, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the creme anglaise through a fine-mesh sieve into the reserved bowl, press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface and let cool.
• For the dunkers: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each sheet of puff pastry to flatten slightly. Cut the dough into 1-by-4-inch strips. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
• Whisk the egg with the cream in a small bowl until well combined. Brush all over the pastry strips, then sprinkle generously with coarse sugar, sanding sugar or sprinkles, almost covering the entire surface.
• Bake until golden brown and very crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes.
• While the dunkers bake and cool, make the chocolate sauce: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the cream and let sit undisturbed to melt the chocolate and butter, 10 to 15 seconds. Gently stir to combine--the chocolate sauce should be glossy and smooth.
• Serve the dunkers with the cooled creme anglaise and warm chocolate sauce.

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.

ROUGH-PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Sift 250g strong plain flour and 1 tsp fine sea salt into a large bowl. Roughly break 250g butter into small chunks, add them to the bowl and rub them in loosely. You need to see bits of butter.
• Make a well in the bowl and pour in about two-thirds of 150ml cold water, mixing until you have a firm rough dough adding extra water if needed.
• Cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 mins in the fridge.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board, knead gently and form into a smooth rectangle.
• Roll the dough in one direction only, until 3 times the width, about 20 x 50cm. Keep edges straight and even. Don't overwork the butter streaks; you should have a marbled effect.
• Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that. Give the dough a quarter turn (to the left or right) and roll out again to three times the length.
• Fold as before, cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 mins before rolling to use.