Recipe: 3 Of The Easiest Pastries

Sorted

You know those fancy things you buy in coffee shops with your hot drink? Well we're going to show you how to make 3 impressive looking ones without actually 'making' anything. All using shop bought stuff.

Ingredients

2 rolls of ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp brown sugar, to sprinkle
4 tbsp apple sauce
1 handful of fresh raspberries
100 g marzipane
4 tbsp mincemeat
4 tbsp chocolate nut spread
2 tbsp pistachios, chopped
2 tbsp icing sugar, for glace icing
1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust
1 tbsp apricot jam, to glaze
4 glace cherries
4 sprigs of mint

Step 1

Cut Squares Of Puff Pastry

Cut out squares of ready rolled puff pastry so they are about 10-12cm on each side. Preheat an oven to 200 degrees C.

Step 2

Plait Cut

Cut parallel lines, about 1cm apart, in from two opposite edges. Make sure the cuts only go 1/3 of the way across the square. Arrange a line of filling down the middle, in our case apple sauce and halved raspberries.

Step 3

Plait Fold

Egg wash the edges and fold alternate strips over across the filling to form a rough plait shape. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper and egg wash all over then sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

Step 4

Ornate Cuts

Gently fold the puff pastry square in half without creasing it too hard. Cut two incisions about 1cm from the edge up toward the point of the triangle, but not all of the way. Unfold and egg wash.

Step 5

Ornate Filling

Place a square of marzipane in the centre square and top with a dollop of mincemeat.

Step 6

Ornate Fold

Fold the left side over the right side and vice versa. Seal it in and crimp the edges to stop any filling leaking. *Optional... you can stuff extra marzipane into each end once it's been folded Egg wash and sprinkle with brown sugar all over. Bake for 12 minutes, then cool.

Step 7

Star Cut

Cut from each corner into the middle of the square, but not all of the way. Egg wash all over.

Step 8

Star Fold And Filling

Fold alternate point up and into the middle of the square. Spoon some chocolate and nut spread onto the middle. Bake for 12 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

Step 9

Decorate

Decorate each pastry as you wish, but a few suggestions:- - Sprig of mint, a glace cherry and dusting of icing sugar. - A drizzle of simple glace icing - A brush of warmed apricot jam to glaze, then sprinkling of chopped pistachios.