Puff Pastry Knots Food

CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND KNOTS

Steps:

• Put the almond paste, sugar, butter, flour and 1 egg in the food processor and pulse until it becomes a smooth paste.
• Dust a work surface with flour and roll the puff pastry into a 12-inch square. Spoon small dollops of the almond filling all over the surface of the pastry and then use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out into an even layer. Cut the pastry into three 4-inch wide pieces. Sprinkle each with chocolate.
• Starting at the long side of one of the pastry pieces, roll it up into a long cylindrical log. Holding one end of the log in each hand, gently snap the dough towards the counter, slapping it down if necessary, so that it stretches to about 15 inches. Repeat with the remaining 2 strips of dough and refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, adjust 2 oven racks to the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Cut each log, lengthwise, right down the middle so that you have 6 long strips. Arrange them cut-side up on the counter. Now cut each strip in half, crosswise, giving you 12 pieces about 7 1/2 inches long. Gently pull on one piece, just to lengthen it slightly, and then tie into a tight knot with the cut-sides up and long tails on each side. Repeat with the remaining strips of dough and arrange on the 2 prepared baking sheets. Chill for 15 minutes.
• Beat the remaining egg to make an egg wash. Brush each knot with some of the egg wash and then sprinkle generously first with some of the chopped almonds and then with sugar. Bake, rotating the baking sheets about halfway through, until the knots have puffed and are golden brown on top and deeply golden brown on the bottom, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

CARDAMOM KNOTS

Steps:

• Start by making the dough. Place the cubed butter in a small saucepan with the milk. Heat over a low heat until the cubes of butter have completely melted, then remove from the heat and set to one side to allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.
• Place the flour in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, and add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt, sugar and cardamom to the other. If you put the salt directly on the yeast it may kill it, which will stop your dough from rising.
• Gradually pour the warm butter and milk into the bowl with the flour,mixing all the time, using your hands or the dough-hook attachment, until a sticky dough forms. You may not need to add all the milk mixture, or you might need to add a little more milk - you want to add just enough to make a sticky but not wet dough.
• Dust your worktop lightly with flour, tip the dough out on to it and knead it for 5-10 minutes (or knead using the dough hook on the stand mixer) until the dough is no longer sticky and has become smooth and elastic. Grease the bowl in which you mixed the dough with oil, place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a tea towel or cling film and leave to rise at room temperature for 1-3 hours or until doubled in size. You can leave the dough to prove in the fridge overnight if you want these for breakfast!
• While the dough is rising, combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl to make a thick paste. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment.
• Tip the risen dough out of the bowl on to a worktop lightly dusted with flour and fold it in on itself a couple of times to knock out any large air pockets.
• Roll out the dough thinly to make a very large rectangle measuring roughly 50 x 30cm. Spread the cardamom filling mixture all over the dough, making sure it goes right to the edges.
• Fold one of the short ends over two-thirds of the dough, then fold the remaining third over - as if you are folding a letter or making puff pastry. You should have one neat rectangle consisting of three layers of dough, and all the filling should be enclosed inside.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 even strips. Taking one of the strips, stretch out and twist it a few times. Tie it into a loose knot, tucking the edges in. Place the knot on a lined baking tray and repeat with the remaining strips, arranging them on the tray and leaving a few centimeters between each. Leave for 45 minutes at room temperature to rise again.
• While the knots are proving, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Make the cardamom syrup by bringing the sugar, ground cardamom and 50ml of water to the boil in a small saucepan and letting it bubble for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
• Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, then brush with the cardamom syrup as soon as they come out of the oven. Sprinkle with pearl sugar, if you wish, and serve warm.

PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Put the flour and a pinch of salt in the food processor. Turn it on and steadily pour in 150ml of water. When the dough comes together, cover it in cling film and chill for 20 mins.
• Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a 25cm circle. Put the butter in between two pieces of baking parchment and soften it by tapping it with a rolling pin. Cut the butter in half and repeat the process until the butter is pliable but still cold. Reshape to the size roughly of a postcard.
• Put the butter in the centre of the pastry and fold over the right and left sides of the circle, overlapping in the middle. Press the dough with your rolling pin to make it longer and then lightly mark into thirds. Fold the bottom third up to cover the middle third and the top third down. Seal the dough gently by pressing down on the edges with your rolling pin. Give the dough a quarter turn.
• Roll the dough out to a long rectangle (roughly 18 x 38cm), keeping the edges square and the sides straight. Mark the dough into thirds again, fold the bottom third up and the top third down. Seal the edges and give the dough a quarter turn. Repeat one more time, cover and chill for 20 mins.
• Repeat step four twice more, chilling each time. Chill for one hour before using. Watch our puff pastry video for a Good Food tutorial.