Puff Pastries 'Like A Pro' 4 Ways

Peach & Custard Windmills

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet (400g) SPAR Puff Pastry

1 can (410g) SPAR Peach Slices in Syrup, preserving the syrup

6 tbsp SPAR Vanilla-Flavoured Custard

1 egg, beaten

Serving suggestion:

1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Divide and cut the pastry into 6 equal squares.
On each square, make a 3-cm cut from each corner towards the centre.
Spoon a tablespoon of custard in the centre of each square. Fold every second tip toward the centre, pressing down firmly to make the shape of a fan.
Place 3 peach slices next to each other in the centre. Repeat with each pastry square.
Transfer the pastries to the baking tray using a spatula.
Lightly brush beaten egg over each pastry fan and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until beautifully golden.
Remove tray from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Brush lightly with the preserved juices from the can and allow to cool, then dust with icing sugar before serving. ENJOY!

Mixed Berry Diamonds

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet (400g) SPAR Puff Pastry

1 cup fresh mixed berries

2 tbsp castor sugar

1 egg, beaten

Serving suggestion:

1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Divide and cut the pastry into 6 equal squares.
Fold one of the squares into a triangle.
Cut a smaller triangle within the pastry triangle, without connecting the cuts. Repeat with all 6 squares.
Unfold the triangle and brush lightly with the beaten egg.
Fold 2 adjacent flaps towards the centre, over each other to overlap and form a diamond shape.
Brush the beaten egg over the top and prick the centre with a fork. Repeat with all 6 pastry squares and transfer to the baking tray.
Mix the fresh berries and castor sugar together.
Spoon a small amount of the berry-sugar mixture into the centre of each pastry diamond.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool before dusting with icing sugar. ENJOY!

Pineapple Flowers

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet (400g) SPAR Puff Pastry

6 tbsp (825g) SPAR Canned Pineapple Rings, drained

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

6 glacé cherries, but in half to garnish

1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Divide and cut the pastry into 6 equal squares.
Fold each of the squares in half to form a rectangle.
Make cuts just along the inside of the corners of the sides that touch, without connecting the cuts.
Unfold the rectangles and brush with the beaten egg.
Place a pineapple ring in the centre of each pastry, ensuring it fits in the small central square. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over each.
Bring the adjacent pastry flaps together, pressing lightly in the centre to connect.
Brush the pastry lightly with the beaten egg again before transferring to the baking tray and baking for 18-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the pineapple slightly caramelised.
Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly. Garnish each pastry square with a glacé cherry in the centre and dust with icing sugar. Serve as a teatime treat and ENJOY!

Braided Chocolate Parcels

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet (400g) SPAR Puff Pastry

6 tbsp SPAR Squillos Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay out the puff pastry on a floured surface. Divide and cut the pastry into 6 equal squares and place on the baking tray.
Dollop a generous tablespoon of Squillos Chocolate Hazelnut Spread onto the bottom left quarter of each pastry square.
Cut vertical ribbons into the top left quarter and the bottom right quarter, radiating away from the chocolate filling. Brush the beaten egg over exposed pastry.
Fold the top right quarter over the chocolate filling. Braid the top left quarter and bottom right quarter ribbons over the pastry-covered chocolate filling.
Brush the pastry lightly with the beaten egg again and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool. Dust each braided pastry square with icing sugar before serving and ENJOY!