Heavenly Puff Pastry
Why I Love This Recipe
I've been thinking all month about what would be the perfect Valentines Day meal, and I kept thinking breakfast in bed would be romantic, but what to serve? I think I've made my decision.
I'm serving Puff Pastry, strawberries dipped in chocolate, and steamy mugs of coffee.
This pastry is remarkably easy and the end result is magnificent.
Ingredients You'll Need
1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. flour
2 T. water
1/2 C. butter
1 C. water
1 t. almond extract
1 C. flour
3 eggs
Powdered sugar glaze
chopped nuts
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1/2 C. butter into 1 C. flour until particles are size of peas. Sprinkle 2 T. water over flour mixture; mix with fork. Gather into ball then divide into halves. Pat each half into a 12 x 3 rectangle on an ungreased cookie sheet (I prefer baking stone).
Rectangles should be about 3 inches apart.
Heat 1/2 C. butter and 1 C. water to rolling boil; remove from heat. Quickly stir in almond extract and 1 C. flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from heat. Add eggs, beat until smooth and glossy. Spread the topping evenily on the two long rectangles. Bake until topping is crisp and brown, about 1 hour; cool. (Topping will puff high during baking process, then fall forming the creamy top.) Spread with Powdered Sugar Glaze; sprinkle with nuts. This recipe makes two rectangular cakes which would make 5 or 6 serivngs each, or it can be cut into bitesized pieces to serve more.
Powdered Sugar Glaze
Mix 1 1/2 C. powdered sugar, 2 T. softened butter, and 1 1/2 t. vanilla or almond extract. Gradually stir in 1 to 2 T. warm water until glaze is smooth and of desired consistency.