Who doesn’t love pastries? If you have a sweet tooth and if you love pastries, you should be thrilled to celebrate National Pastry Day today!
Did you know that pastries have been around since 2600 B.C.? The Egyptians made doughnut-like pastries out of crude flour and honey, and then dipped them in wine.
In the 7th century, pastry-making developed as a culinary art form in the Middle East. It spread to Europe after the Crusades, and French and Italian chefs developed their own version of the recipes and experimented with new techniques. There are now many different types of pastry including shortcrust, flaky, puff, choux, and phyllo.
Check out these decadent pastries from General Mills Foodservice's corporate chef Jessie Kordosky as you celebrate!
Tahini Swirl Brownies
Yield: 64
Ingredients for Tahini Mixture
2/3 cup tahini
3 T brown sugar, packed
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Combine tahini, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl until well-blended.
- Set aside until needed in batter.
Ingredients for Batter
Water, cool (approx. 72°F)
1 lb 4.00 oz
2 ½ cups cool water (approx. 72°F)
½ cup vegetable oil
5 ea. eggs, large
1 box Pillsbury™ Baker's Plus Brownie Mix
Method
- Combine water, vegetable oil and eggs in mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment.
- Add brownie mix and stir on low speed for 30 seconds.
- Stop mixer, scrape bowl and paddle; mix an additional 1 1/2 minutes. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- Deposit batter into lightly greased or parchment-lined full sheet pan and spread evenly.
- Drop spoonfuls of Tahini Mixture randomly on top of batter; swirl with tip of knife to create desired marbled effect.
- Bake as directed below and allow to cool before portioning.
*Rotate pans baked in convection oven one-half turn (180°) after 11 minutes of baking.
Mini Cranberry Tartes Tatin
Yield: 24
Ingredients
6 ea. Pillsbury's Best™ Puff Pastry Dough Squares
¾ cup granulated sugar
6 T butter, unsalted
96 ea. cranberries, fresh or frozen
Method
- Thaw puff pastry squares, covered, either at room temp. 15-30 minutes until flexible, or refrigerate overnight.
- Cut each square into 4 pieces and set aside for Assembly.
- Add sugar and butter to saucepan; heat and stir until well combined, then hold warm.
Assembly
- Spray mini muffin tins generously with pan spray.
- Spoon 1 tsp butter/sugar mixture into each muffin well and spread evenly to coat the bottom if necessary.
- Add 4 cranberries then place 1 cut piece of pastry (1/4 of the square) and tuck tightly around cranberries.
- Bake as directed until pastry is golden brown.
*Rotate pans baked in convection oven one-half turn (180°) after 7 minutes of baking.
Finishing
- Remove pan from oven and immediately run a palette knife around edges to loosen pastry; flip over onto parchment-lined pan.
- Replace any lost cranberries and pour remaining syrup over top; serve warm or at room temp.
Piña Colada Caramel Rolls
Yield: 15
Ingredients
¾ cup coconut milk, unsweetened
¾ dark brown sugar, packed
¾ shredded coconut, unsweetened
2 ½ cups pineapple fresh, peeled & cored, 1/2-inch half moon slices
15 ea. Pillsbury™ Place & Bake™ Cinnamon Roll Supreme Freezer-to-Oven, 3 oz
Assembly
- Combine refrigerated coconut milk and brown sugar in a small bowl; pour into greased 2-inch half hotel pan.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut evenly then place pineapple half-moon slices in a single layer over top.
- Place frozen cinnamon rolls in a 5 by 3 pattern, spacing evenly; bake as directed until golden brown.
*Rotate pans baked in convection oven one-half turn (180°) after 14 minutes of baking.
Finishing
- Release rolls by inverting pan immediately upon removing from oven onto parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Rearrange pineapple slices as needed and pour remaining caramel sauce over top; serve warm.
Cranberry Nut Baklava Cups
Yield: 48
Ingredients
12 ea. Pillsbury's Best™ Puff Pastry Dough Squares
Method
- Thaw puff pastry squares covered, either at room temp. 15-30 minutes until flexible, or refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients for Filling
2 cups walnut halves
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
Granulated sugar
2 oz
1/4 cup
¼ cup butter, unsalted, melted
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Method
- Add walnuts, cranberries, golden raisins, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt in bowl of food processor.
- Pulse until finely chopped; transfer to bowl and set aside until assembly.
Ingredients for Honey Syrup
½ cup honey
½ cup water, hot approx. 120°F
Method
- Add honey and hot water to either a pan for the stovetop or use a microwavable bowl.
- Heat and stir until well combined and incorporated; set aside to cool.
Assembly
- Dock puff pastry and cut each square into 4 pieces.
- Press 1 piece (1/4 of square) into bottom and up sides of each sprayed mini muffin cup; top with #70 scoop of filling.
- Pack down filling with fingers and bake as directed below.
*Rotate pans baked in convection oven one-half turn (180°) after 7 minutes of baking.
Finishing
- Immediately after baking, spoon 1/2 tsp Honey Syrup over each baklava cup (still in pans) while hot.
- Remove cups from muffin pans and serve warm.
Mocha Cold Brew Croissant Muffins
Yield: 18
Ingredients
9 ea. Pillsbury™ Frozen Croissant Dough 3.75 oz
1 ea. egg, large, whole
1 T water, cool
1 cup granulated sugar
Method
- Place croissants on parchment-lined sheet pan; thaw in cooler overnight.
Ingredients for Mocha Cold Brew Mousse
1 cup mascarpone cheese
¼ cup cold brew coffee
¼ cup dark cocoa powder
¼ cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp sea salt
3 cups whipped topping
Method
- Add mascarpone cheese to mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment; whisk on medium speed approx. 1 minute until fluffy.
- Stop mixer, scrape whisk and sides of bowl; add coffee, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and salt.
- Mix on medium speed for 1 minute; stop mixer, scrape whisk and sides of bowl then mix an additional 30 seconds until well-combined.
- Fold in whipped cream gently until smooth; refrigerate at least 1 hour to set or store in airtight container up to 1 day refrigerated until needed.
Assembly
- Slice thawed dough in half cross-wise, then fold narrow end under wider end and pinch together to seal.
- Place each piece in greased popover pan with pinched seam side down; let proof on open rack at room temperature until double in size (approx. 2 hours).
- Whisk together egg and water; brush over dough and bake as directed below.
*Rotate pans baked in convection oven one-half turn (180°) after 8 minutes of baking.
Finishing
- Allow croissants cool in pan for 5 minutes then carefully remove and toss in granulated sugar; allow to cool completely.
- Carefully cut out a small hole in middle of each croissant top; remove piece to hollow out croissant.
- Pipe approx. 1 oz Mocha Cold Brew Mousse into center of each croissant, allowing mousse to show on top.
