In a few weeks, Thanksgiving celebrations will mark the calendar again. It is another time of the year to get families together and invite some friends over to enjoy the holiday and relish the traditional turkey and other delectable recipes you are preparing in the kitchen days before the big day. Definitely, you should get your menu ready a week ahead especially if you plan to include time-intensive recipes that take a few days to complete like puff pastry.
Puff pastry is not new in the culinary business. It has been served on French tables since 17th century by a landscape painter and cook named Claude Lorrain. Producing the pastry’s dough involves a laborious process of mixing, repetitive folding and rolling it with butter and finally piling it upward to hundreds of layers. Although the process is time-consuming, the result is amazingly crunchy and mouth-watering especially when filled and baked in luscious dishes that will impress all your five senses. As you list down your menu for the holiday, check out these recipes that will surely take your puff pastry to the next level.
Beef Wellington
This is one of the most popular recipes that work well with puff pastry. It may take a day to prepare but there are simple recipes that you can follow online to put everything together from greasing the beef tenderloin to combining it with a mushroom mixture or rolling it with liver pate. Take your pick and amaze a friend who’s a fan of Gordon Ramsay’s show.
Cheese twisted straws
You’ll definitely love these cheese straws, gorgeously twisted on both ends. It is appealing to most crowds but practical to prepare. Pile them up in a plate with some marinara sauce and open some bottles of beer or wine.
Cheesy Chicken or Beef Turnovers
Put the usual sandwich on the side and pass around this exciting puff pastry recipe that will fill your tongue with the savory taste of cherries, blueberries, sweet potatoes, cheese and meats such as pork, beef and chicken. You may go a bit extraordinary by sealing leek and wild rabbit inside the dough.
Puff Pastry Doughnuts
Doughnuts that shimmer in vanilla or berry glaze is a wonderful way of greet your family and guests in the morning. Bet, you have store a box of puff pastry in the fridge in case someone calls out for another round of your yummy doughnuts.
Luscious, fruity tarts
Apple tarts, plum tarts, artichoke tarts. The list goes on. What’s great about your pastry base? It is adequately solid to hold light to heavy fruit fillings. It stays in shape even when topped with brandy, syrup or cooked twice. Choose your fruit tart recipe now and make dessert time worth waiting for the whole family.
Miguelitos
Want to eat some cake? This popular Spanish dessert has soft pastry and creamy filling. The finish product is traditionally sprinkled with sugar powder and usually served during coffee time.
Palmier
Cookies that come in the shape of palms, elephant ear or pig’s ear. Kids would surely love the crunchy sound and light texture of this French snack. Allow them to get involved and take the challenge of shaping the dough into animals, flowers and other objects they love, and later coat them with their preferred toppings like sugar, honey or coconut.
Steak and kidney pie
Add some traditional British touch on your menu. It’s cool to surprise kids with this Harry Potter themed meal.
Tarte Tatin
Make your dessert menu more heavenly by combining together the airy texture of puff pastry, sweet apples and syrupy caramel. Though it may not look as attractive as the illustrations on the recipe book, you’ll enjoy both the experience and the results.
Wrapped sausage rolls
Welcome your guests with your oven-fresh sausage enclosed inside a pre-made puff pastry which can be bought in groceries. These hogs surely taste great when served with chutney dips and salad.
