Apple Ricotta Pastry Squares Recipes

SWEET RICOTTA PASTRIES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Bring milk and zest to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan, then remove from heat. Whisk together yolk, sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in milk, then transfer mixture to saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil 1 minute. Stir in vanilla, then transfer to a clean bowl and chill custard, its surface covered with parchment paper (to prevent a skin from forming), until cold, at least 1 hour. Discard zest.
• Pulse ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Whisk into custard. Stir in orange-flower water and citron. Chill until ready to use.
• Prepare pastry while custard chills:
• Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in cleaned food processor until combined. Add butter and zest and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add yolks and water and pulse until just incorporated and dough begins to form large clumps.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together, using a pastry or bench scraper if you have one, and form into a ball.
• Generously butter muffin cups and top of pan. Press 2 tablespoon dough over bottom and up side of each muffin cup in an even layer with well-floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper into a 9-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and transfer to a baking sheet, discarding top sheet of paper. Cut 12 (1/2-inch-wide) strips, then cut in half crosswise to make 24 strips total. Chill until ready to use.
• Assemble and Bake pastries:
• Spoon a scant 2 tablespoons filling into each muffin cup and smooth, then crisscross 2 strips on top of filling, trimming to fit. Brush pastry cross with egg wash. Bake until filling is puffed and starting to crack and edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert a rack on top of pan, then flip pan and remove. Turn pastries right side up and cool completely.

CUSTARDY APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Slice the apples from top to bottom using a mandoline, Benriner or a sharp knife, turning the fruit as you reach the core. The slices should be about 1/16 inch thick-elegantly thin, but not so thin that they're transparent and fragile. Discard the cores.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.
• Working in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, sugar and salt together for about 2 minutes, until the sugar just about dissolves and, more important, the eggs are pale. Whisk in the vanilla, followed by the milk and melted butter. Turn the flour into the bowl and stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the apples to the bowl, switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the apples into the batter, turning everything around until each thin slice is coated in batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can-it will be bumpy; that's its nature.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, uniformly puffed- make sure the middle of the cake has risen-and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Using a long chefs knife, cut the cake into 8 squares in the pan (being careful not to damage the pan), or unmold the cake onto a rack, flip it onto a plate and cut into squares. Either way, give the squares a dusting of confectioners' sugar before serving, if you'd like.

APPLE & RICOTTA PASTRY SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine Ricotta, honey and spice. Divide between each pastry square. Placing in the centre of each.
• Top with thin slices of apple and brush with jam.
• Bake at 190ºC for 10-12 minutes until golden.

APPLE PASTRY SQUARES

Steps:

• For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Mix until well blended. Add apples; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in spices and lemon juices; set aside., For pastry, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Combine egg yolks, water and lemon juice; blend into flour. Mixture will form a ball. Divided in half. , On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough between two pieces of waxed paper to fit the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread filling over pastry. Roll remaining pastry to fit pan exactly; place on top of filling. Fold bottom pastry over top and press to seal. Cut a few small slits in top crust. , Bake at 400° for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned. For glaze, combine all ingredients and drizzle over the warm pastry.