Florentine Appetizer Puffs Recipes

CHEESE PUFFS (GOUGERES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Combine the flour with the salt, black pepper, thyme, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
• Put the milk and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When the butter melts, turn heat to low. Add the seasoned flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball. Remove from heat.
• Separate the white and yolk from one egg, reserving the yolk for glazing.
• Put the dough into a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for one minute. Then beat in one egg and the extra egg white. Beat until completely absorbed into the dough. Then add the remaining 4 eggs, one at a time, waiting each time until the previous egg is completely absorbed. After all 5 eggs (plus the one egg white) have been incorporated, the dough should be smooth and satiny.
• Add the Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses, and pepperoni if you are using it. Incorporate thoroughly into the dough.
• Use a pastry bag to pipe dough onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. You can also drop dough from a teaspoon. For tiny puffs, mounds should be about 1/2 inch in diameter. From small appetizers, mounds should be 1 inch in diameter. For puffs large enough for filling, mounds should be 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Keep the size of the puffs uniform so they bake properly. Space puffs about 1 inch apart.
• Beat the remaining egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk to make a glaze. Lightly brush the tops of the puffs with glaze before baking. Sprinkle tops with your Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes (5 minutes for tiny puffs). Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Bake 10 minutes more for tiny puffs; 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium or large puffs, or until puffs are golden brown. Test by removing a puff from the oven and breaking it open. The inside should be baked through. If it is still doughy or wet, bake another 5 minutes.
• Remove pans from oven and leave puffs on pans until cool enough to serve.

HOLIDAY APPETIZER PUFFS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately cut a slit in puffs to allow steam to escape. When cool, split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients. Just before serving, spoon filling into puffs; replace tops.

SPINACH PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Unfold puff pastry; cut each sheet into 12 sections. Place in greased mini muffin cups, pressing gently onto bottoms and up sides, allowing corners to point up., In a large bowl, stir together spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella, feta, 1 egg, garlic, pepper and salt. Spoon 1 tablespoon into each cup. Bring pastry corners together and pinch to seal. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg. Brush over pastry edges. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

FLORENTINE APPETIZER PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets. Cook spinach according to package directions; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add Parmesan and onion. Blend in eggs. Stir in croutons and butter. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead, covered and frozen. Do not thaw before baking. Just increase baking time to 20-25 minutes.) Arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1/2" apart. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

MUSHROOM PUFFS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and mushrooms, saute until the liquid evaporates.
• Add the flour, whisking until smooth.
• Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the lemon juice, stirring constantly.
• Add the cream and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.
• Stir in the salt and pepper, to taste.
• Remove from heat.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares.
• Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square.
• Grasp all 4 corners and pinch the four seams to form a bundle, drop into the cup of a mini muffin pan (Do not force them down).
• Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.
• Cover and chill.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until sides and bottoms are browned.

HOLIDAY APPETIZER PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425º.
• Roll pastry on lightly floured surgace to 13x13 square.
• Cut into shapes with cookie cutters (simple shapes work best).
• Place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Brush cut-outs lightly with oil.
• Decorate with desired toppings.
• Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

LOBSTER PUFFS

Steps:

• Mix the lobster, celery, green onion, red pepper, cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice and black pepper together until well blended.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Boil the water and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Pour in flour and stir vigorously over medium heat until mixture forms a ball.
• Remove from heat and beat an egg in until mixture is smooth.
• Repeat with remaining eggs.
• Drop by teaspoons onto an ungreased baking sheet, mounds should be about 1/2" round, space about 1 1/2" apart.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool completely.
• Cut off tops and scoop out any doughy material in the center of the puff.
• Fill with lobster mixture and replace top.
• Chill until ready to serve.

CARAMELIZED NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine almonds, cashews, pecans, and walnuts in a large bowl.
• Line baking pan with foil and lightly oil.
• Bring sugar, water, and honey to a boil in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Pour over nuts and stir until nuts are well coated.
• Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to baking pan (discarding syrup) and roast in 1 layer in middle of oven, stirring nuts occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• (gotta watch them, they burn easily) Lightly oil another sheet of foil, spread nuts in 1 layer on foil and cool completely.
• Break apart any nuts that are stuck together.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE IN PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place spinach in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on medium power for 6 minutes. Remove cover and stir. Remove to a strainer and let cool.
• While the spinach is cooking, butterfly the chicken without cutting all the way through. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl. Unfold pastry sheet and cut down the folds to make 3 equal pieces.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add chicken. Saute until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
• Squeeze spinach to remove excess water. Combine spinach with garlic, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, thyme, salt, and pepper; mix well.
• Put 1/3 of the spinach mixture in each open chicken breast and top with a 1 slice of provolone cheese. Fold the top of each chicken breast in order to sandwich the spinach and cheese in between. Place each chicken breast on a piece of puff pastry; wrap the pastry around the breast and tuck underneath to seal. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and brush with egg wash.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

FLORENTINES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets with shortening and dust with flour.
• Stir cream and sugar together in a bowl. Stir in orange peel, flour, and almonds until combined. Drop batter in teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping each cookie well apart from each other.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Spread bottoms of cooled cookies with melted chocolate using a spatula, or spear cookies on a fork and dip bottoms into chocolate. Let dry, bottoms-up, on waxed paper.