The perfect, unexpected treat to celebrate harvest time.
Use product immediately upon removal from refrigerator as there is no need to thaw! No need to use flour and a rolling pin to stretch the dough.
Dough will roll out and cut easier if it is chilled. If you're trying to create a specific shape, keep the pastry as cold as possible (but not frozen) and it will be easier to make precise cuts.
If you want to keep the inside from rising as much as the edges, just use a paring knife to score a border. Don’t cut the dough all the way though! Use a fork to prick the dough. The pastry will still be light and flaky with the edges puffed up and the center will stay down.
Pop the dough in the fridge after working with it, while the oven preheats. This step gives the fat in the dough a chance to re-solidify, to get an even better baking result.
Egg-wash: Just before baking, brush your puff pastry with egg wash (1 large egg with about 2 tablespoons water, beaten) to give it an attractive shine and color.
To seal the pastry edges for any stuffed pocket-style pastry, just brush a thin layer of water or egg whites along the edges and press them together to make them stick.
Crimp edges of smaller pastries like hand pies with a fork. Larger pastries can be crimped with your fingertips.
Serve soon after baking! Puff Pastry is best when fresh, so ideally bake close to serving. Only few recipes are great to make ahead. Puff Pastry is best when baked and served the same day.
To unroll the dough, remove dough from package and gently separate the dough and parchment paper from the roll, so that the dough on paper begins to lay flat. Be careful not to separate the dough from the parchment paper. There may be some sticking, but the dough and paper should easily pull away from the roll.
Once the dough is lying flat on the baking tray, cut off or tuck any excess paper under, so it does not hang over the edge.
1. Preheat oven to 400°F and soak craft sticks in water for 30 minutes. Dry well before using.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth, using an electric mixer. Add egg, blending until incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
4. Bake the pumpkin mixture in a small baking dish until set, about 25 minutes. It should be somewhat firm and should not jiggle too much. Refrigerate mixture to set it even further.
5. Unroll the refrigerated Puff Pastry Doughs. Using the round cutter, cut out 18 circles and place half on the baking sheet, utilizing the parchment paper from the dough. Allow one inch in between rounds and leaving room for the popsicle sticks.
6. Place a craft stick on each round, about 1 in. from top of dough. Spoon about 1 tsp. of the filling into the center of each round. Place a second round on top and use a fork to seal the edges.
7. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until brown, about 12-14 minutes. Cool completely before attempting to pick up, as they must stabilize.
8. Serve with chai whipped cream. To make, place whipping cream in a mixing bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar and spices and whip until stiff.