Williamsburg Almond Puff Pastry Food

ALMOND PUFF PASTRIES

Steps:

• Unfold pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into nine 3-in. squares. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets; set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk and water; brush over pastry squares. In another bowl, beat egg white; add almonds and sugar. Spread over each square. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until well puffed and browned. Cool completely on wire racks., Split pastries in half horizontally. Fill with whipped cream; replace tops. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.

ALMOND DANISH PUFF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cut 1/2 cup softened butter into 1 cup flour, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of coarse crumbs.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over mixture; mix with fork.
• Gather pastry into ball; divide in half.
• Pat each half into rectangle, 12x3 inches, about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Heat remaining 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water to rolling boil in 2-quart saucepan; remove from heat.
• Quickly stir in almond extract and 1 cup flour.
• Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball; remove from heat.
• Add eggs; beat until smooth. Spread half of the topping over each rectangle.
• Bake about 1 hour or until topping is crisp and brown; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Spread with Creamy Almond Glaze; sprinkle with almonds.
• Creamy Almond Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 2-3 tbsp butter, softened; 1/2 to 1 tsp almond extract; 1-2 tbsp warm water or milk.
• Mix all ingredients until smooth and spreadable and glaze the Danish puff.

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.

WILLIAMSBURG ALMOND PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Pastry: Cut butter into flour until crumbly.
• Sprinkle with cold water and mix until it forms a ball.
• Divide dough in half; press each section into a 2 x 12-inch strip on cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
• Filling: Bring water and butter to a boil; remove from heat.
• Add almond extract and stir in flour.
• Beat eggs in one at a time.
• Place batter over crust.
• Fold pastries over lengthwise and seal edges with water.
• Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes until lightly browned.
• Cool.
• Frosting: Combine ingredients and spread over pastry.

DANISH ALMOND PUFF

Steps:

• Place 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl. Mix in butter using a fork or a pastry blender. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over, and stir with a fork until dough comes together. Divide into two balls. Pat dough into two long strips on an ungreased baking sheet, about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and remove from the heat. Immediately stir in 1 cup of flour until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Gradually stir in the eggs until well blended. Divide evenly, and spread over the two crusts on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 1 hour. Allow to cool almost to room temperature before frosting.
• To make the frosting, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract and a splash of milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the Danish, and decorate with candy sprinkles if desired.

COULIBIAC (SALMON AND RICE IN PUFF PASTRY)

Steps:

• Cook rice until tender. Set aside.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat.
• Add leek; sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add mushrooms. Cover skillet; cook until mushrooms release their juices, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Uncover skillet. Increase heat to medium-high; sauté until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to bowl. Add rice. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
• Butter large baking sheet.
• Cut one pastry sheet into 4 equal squares. Divide rice mixture among centers of squares.
• Set salmon atop rice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bring pastry corners up around salmon (pastry will not enclose salmon completely.)
• Cut remaining pastry into 4 equal squares. Lay 1 square atop each salmon fillet, tucking corners under bottom pastry to enclose salmon completely.
• Pinch edges together to seal, brushing with egg mixture.
• Arrange salmon packages, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet. Cover and chill 30 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.).
• Preheat oven to 400°F Brush top of pastry with egg mixture.
• Bake until golden about 30 minutes.

WILLIAMSBURG ORANGE CAKE WITH WILLIAMSBURG BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE: Combine first 10 ingredients. Blend with an electric mixer 30 seconds on low speed; beat 3 minutes on high speed. Stir in raisins and pecans.
• Pour into 3 greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely. Spread Williamsburg Butter Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish cake with orange rind and sections. Yield: one 3 layer cake.
• FOR THE BUTTER FROSTING: Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add orange rind and juice; beat until smooth. Yield: enough for one 3 layer cake.
• The Southern Heritage Cakes Cookbook.

ALMOND PUFF

Steps:

• To make the filing, cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add almonds, extract and rum.
• Wrap the filling in plastic wrap and chill until it is hard.
• To form the puff, roll the puff pastry on a floured board into a large square, 15 inches by 15 inches. Pastry should be less than onequarter-inch thick.
• Place chilled ball of filling in center of dough and gather up edges of pastry. Tie a piece of string securely around pastry, totally enclosing the filling. Cut off excess pastry with scissors. Place puff on a baking sheet and chill for at least two hours.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Brush the puff with an egg glaze made of one egg yolk and two tablespoons of heavy cream.
• Bake the puff for 20 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees and continue baking until the pastry is a golden brown. Remove from oven, slide the puff on a baking rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Decorate, if desired, with a single perfect blossom.

STRATA IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Sauté shallots and garlic in butter for 4 minutes.
• Squeeze extra water from thawed spinach'til it is very dry.
• Mix together spinach, shallots and garlic.
• Roll out 2/3 of the puff pastry dough and line the prepared springform pan with it, letting pastry hang over the edge of the pan.
• Layer ham (or turkey or salmon), cheese, spinach mixture and peppers.
• Beat eggs, reserving 2 tbs, and pour the remainder over the peppers.
• Roll out the remaining puff pastry dough and place on top of the strata.
• Crimp the edges and seal.
• Cut slits in the top and brush with the reserved egg.
• Bake 45 minutes.