Spooky Pastry Puffs Recipes

STUFFED PUFF PASTRY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put a medium saucepan on the stove over high heat. Put the figs, honey, and water in the pan, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow the water to simmer. The honey and natural sugars from the figs should thicken the water. Continue to simmer figs until a sauce is achieved that is thick enough to cover the back of a spoon. When sauce has reached that consistency, remove from heat. Put "fig sauce" in a refrigerator-safe container, and allow cooling for at least 20 minutes.
• Spread a sheet of puff pastry out on a clean, lightly floured surface. Scoop a small amount of fig sauce on the puff pastry sheet with about 2 inches around the sauce on every side. Put a piece of Brie on top of the sauce. Carefully fold the edges of the puff pastry over the cheese. Squeeze the edges of the pastry together then carefully flip the pastry over, so the smooth surface of the pastry is facing up. Gently take the pastry and put it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat this until all the cheese is used. You should have 8 small stuffed pastries.
• When all the pastries are on the sheet tray, take a pastry brush, and lightly brush egg whites on the top and sides of each pastry, this will give the pastry a shine when it comes out of the oven. Drizzle a small amount of honey on top of each pastry.
• Bake the pastries until the puff pastry is a golden brown. This should take about 15 minutes, but keep your eyes on the baking process. When the pastries are golden brown, remove from the oven, and allow them to cool on a cooling rack. Allow them to cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve warm.

ROAST PORK PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• Cook's Note: There is enough marinade for up to 1 1/2 pounds of pork. Buy a whole pork tenderloin (can't really buy any less) and cut off the 9 ounces needed for this recipe. Marinate and roast both pieces and use the extra char sui to make delicious sandwiches, fried rice or roast pork salad!
• For the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, ginger, honey, bean sauce, rice wine, garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the pork, cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge to marinate for as long as possible, preferably overnight.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the pork from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Place the pork in a roasting pan and roast until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F, about 40 minutes.
• While the pork is roasting, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan. Once the marinade has boiled you can take it off of the heat. Baste the pork halfway through cooking with 2 tablespoons marinade. Cool the remaining marinade to room temperature.
• When the pork is done, remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes, then cut the pork into 1/4-inch cubes. Toss the cubed pork in enough of the reserved, cooled marinade to coat. The pork mixture should be at room temperature before filling the pastry.
• For the puffs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a roasting tray with parchment paper.
• Cut each sheet of puff pastry into six 3-inch squares, for a total of 12. Brush the edges of each square with the beaten egg and then place a heaping teaspoon of the pork filling in the center. Fold the square in half to create a triangular pastry. Tuck the triangle ends under to round off the triangular shape.
• Place on the prepared roasting tray and brush egg wash over the top. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top of the pastries and cook in the oven until the pastry is golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHEESY PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Crumble the oregano and salt in a small bowl using your hands and set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Add the cheese and 1 tablespoon ice water. Process until the mixture forms into a ball, adding extra water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed. On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 10-inch-diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Form the dough into a flat disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the dough with the seasoned salt. Gently roll the salt into the dough using a rolling pin.
• Cut the dough into different shapes using the cookie cutters, and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake until puffed and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 10 minutes.