Blackberry and Cream Puff Pastries
These blackberry and cream puff pastries first appeared on The Culinary Jumble (my previous blog).
Ready made puff pastry is something I’ve talked about before. I used it to make my chicken sausage rolls and beetroot and cream cheese pastry and I am aware that when I like something, I want to make it over and over again and tell the world about it.
Like I am sitting on the world’s biggest secret and want to share it with everyone. I did it with coffee in chocolate cakes. I did it with brownies. And now, it is puff pastry all rolled up and raring to go that is my current culinary amour.
Of course none of the above are secrets. Everyone knows brownies are to die for. Pretty much most people agree that ready made puff pastry is a baker’s best friend. Some people though, will just not be told about coffee and chocolate cake. Silly people.
My blog’s motto of homemade deliciousness from scratch is one I whole-heartedly stand by. Fresh, homemade and as clean as possible are how I believe food should be. But, we all need a little cheat every now and again.
Don’t whip this lady with her hypocrisy. I make pastry all the time but that’s the simpler, short crust variety. Life is just too dang short to stand and make puff pastry. Especially when these beautiful little bundles of deliciousness take just seconds to devour.
Listen, I am not saying store-bought is better. Who can deny the charms of homemade puff pastry, after all? But life is all about compromise and a little ready made puff pastry will not kill you. In fact, it will brighten your day because making something amazing with the hard work already done feels great.
The blackberries were from my garden and took just minutes to reduce down to a thick jam. The cream is unadulterated although I’ve recently been told that some people add sugar to their whipped cream. If that’s your preference, feel free to add some. And as we’ve already ascertained, the pastry takes no more effort than rolling it out and slicing it up.
Blackberry and Cream Puff Pastries
Ingredients
Blackberry Jam:
- 200g (7 oz) blackberries
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
Pastry:
- 250g (8¾ oz) roll of ready made puff pastry (see note 1)
Miscellaneous:
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 30g milk chocolate
- icing/confectioners'/powdered sugar
- 250ml (1 cup) whipping cream
Instructions
Blackberry Jam:
- Heat all the blackberry jam ingredients (apart from the cornflour) in a small pan until the berries soften and reduces.
- Add the cornflour and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until you are left with a thick sauce. Set to one side.
Pastry:
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC / 400℉ (or as per the pastry's instructions).
- Roll out the pastry and slice into 12 squares (I used my pizza slicer and it was so much easier than a knife).
- Place the squares on a large baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Beat an egg and then "wash" the pastries with it.
- Bake for around ten minutes, just until they are nice and golden (be careful, the can quickly over-bake). Allow the pastry squares to cool a little.
Assembly:
- Take one pastry square and spread a little blackberry jam over and then dollop on some cream.
- Take another square and place on top, squishing down gently. Repeat with the others.
- Melt a little milk chocolate and drizzle over.
- Let it set a little and then sprinkle over some icing sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
