How to Make a Super Easy Elegant Dessert

Sometimes I just need something quick…. Puff Pastry to the rescue! It makes a quick easy dessert or brunch Danish without much fuss. Not only that, but it looks so fancy. People will ooh and aah.

I always have a box of Puff Pastry on hand. The local grocery has it 2 sheets to a package, or you can buy in bulk on line (if you use it a LOT). I prefer the sheets to the small squares or shells. It’s easy to cut and make whatever is needed.

The most important thing to remember is that the dough needs to be cold to puff up. So after I take it out of the freezer and thaw to a usable temperature, I usually pop the item back in the freezer a few minutes before baking. Just while the over is preheating works.

AS for fillings – anything goes. I’ve used any of the following:

jam – strawberry, cherry or peach
canned pie filling
fresh fruit, like strawberries
my own cooked fruit, thickened
chocolate
and I’ve yet to try, but it would be great – brie cheese, maybe even with raisins and nuts, or some homemade thick pudding

Today I had a very small handful of rhubarb. I decided on blueberry rhubarb filling. My blueberries were in the freezer. I took out about 1.5 cups and put in a large saucepan. Then I chopped the rhubarb into fairly small dice, so it would cook quickly, and added to the pan. Next in about 1/3 cup of sugar, a grating of fresh nutmeg, and 1/2 cup of water.

I simmered until the blueberries popped open, and the rhubarb was soft. Finally I made a slurry with a little cornstarch and tablespoon of water, & put it in the pan with the fruit, stirring. It only took a minute or two to get very thick, almost like a jam.

I do prefer to cook most fruit at least a little before using, because that way you know how much liquid will be produced. Puff pastry doesn’t puff well if the filling is too wet. So a little cooking and thickening agent goes a long way.

Cool the filling down a bit. While that happens, roll out the pastry (which should now be pretty pliable) to a larger rectangle, whatever size you like. Cut “fingers” down each outside third, leaving the center third intact. Spoon your filling down the middle, and start folding over the side “fingers”, first one side, then the other, to make a braided look.

I am partial to baking on parchment paper. As you can see below, I assembled right on a sheet on the baking tray. Some of the filling will inevitably leak out, and scrubbing the baking sheet is not my favorite thing. I buy 200 sheets at a time, pre-cut to fit a baking sheet. I don’t like rolled parchment as it never lays flat enough for me.

Brushed with egg and water for a shinier finish

Put it in the freezer on the baking tray while the oven preheats to 400F. I like to brush the top with an egg beaten with a little water right before baking, but it’s optional. That’s it, ready to bake! Bake at 400F for 20 minutes, until all puffed and golden. And this is why I precook most fruit – 20 minutes isn’t a long time for fruit to bake to a soft consistency.

Serve warm – especially good with vanilla ice cream! – or room temperature. It will hold overnight, though the pastry loses some of the crunch it has when fresh.