6 Pastry Recipes to Fire Up Your Baking Game

pastry recipes
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Between measuring ingredients and not overworking the dough, baking pastries can be a lot of work. But there’s nothing more rewarding than making your own treats from scratch, and it all starts with an easy, foolproof recipe.

If you’re ready to get your bake on, these six pastry recipes are the perfect place to start. Plus, National Pastry Day(1) (December 9th) is right around the corner. So, you could use this anniversary as an excuse to sharpen your baking skills and indulge in the art of turning dough into irresistible treats.

Sweet

1. Apple Turnovers

Buying ready-made dough can save you lots of time when making pastries – and this recipe is the living proof. Ready in under 15 minutes, it’s easy and can be mastered by anyone (even beginner bakers). The apple filling is also delicious and will win everyone over – from kids to adults.

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed
  • 1½ cups freeze dried apples
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 egg yolk

Directions:

  1. Add the apples to a bowl along with 3 cups of warm water. Soak for 15 minutes. Once hydrated, squeeze away excess liquid and transfer back to the empty bowl.
  2. Stir in the sugar and cornstarch, and mash slightly.
  3. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture for a couple of minutes or until it thickens.
  4. Remove from the heat, stir in the cinnamon, and set aside to cool.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry. Cut into 8 even squares and spoon 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of each square.
  7. Fold one corner of the pastry with the opposite one and transfer the turnover to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining squares.
  8. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk and brush the top side of each turnover. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Raspberry Danish

Perfect for snacking between meals, this pastry is as easy to make as it is delicious. The raspberries pair seamlessly with the cream cheese and offer a tart-sweet flavor to the treat. For a dose of hygge, serve the pastries with a cup of tea.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, add the raspberries along with 2 cups of warm water. Soak for 15 minutes. Once hydrated, squeeze away excess liquid and transfer back to an empty bowl. Mash the raspberries with the back of a fork. Set aside.
  2. In another bowl, add the cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar and beat until smooth. Set aside as well.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Unroll the dough and divide it into four rectangles. Cut each one into half so that you have 8 squares.
  5. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture diagonally across each square. Top with 1 tablespoon of the jam puree.
  6. Fold one corner of the pastry with the opposite one and transfer the danish to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining squares.
  7. Brush with the milk and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Nutella Banana Ηand Pies

If you have a little bit of extra time and want to learn more about pastry dough, this recipe should be on your list. The crust comes together in a few minutes and the chocolatey filling calls for just 3 ingredients. Pastry-making couldn’t get easier than that!

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp ice-cold water
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup Nutella
  • 3 tbsp freeze dried bananas, coarsely chopped
  • 1 egg yolk

Directions:

  1. Add the butter, flour, and sugar to a food processor and pulse until the dough looks like coarse sand. Pour the water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse each time until the dough clumps together.
  2. Transfer the dough onto a sheet of baking paper, shape it into a disk, and wrap it up. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (at least).
  3. Preheat the dough to 395oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Flour a surface lightly and roll out the dough. Using a cookie cutter, cut out 24 circles.
  5. In a bowl, mix the Nutella with the bananas. Place 1 teaspoon of the mixture at the center of each circle.
  6. With your finger, water around the edge of the pastry circle and place another one on top of it. Cramp the edges together with your finger or a fork. Repeat with the remaining circles.
  7. Poke a hole on top of each hand pie, beat the egg yolk, and brush each one on the top. Optionally, sprinkle with sugar.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Savory

4. Olive, Tomato & Cheese Palmiers

Palmiers are traditionally sweet, but this spin swaps sugar for tapenade, tomato, and parmesan cheese. The puff pastry is also store-bought, which means the recipes is much easier than it seems.

Ingredients:

  • 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
  • ½ cup olive tapenade
  • 1/3 cup dried tomato flakes
  • 2/3 cup parmesan, grated
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

  1. Add the tomato flakes and olive oil to a cup. Let soak for 15 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and trim it into a 10×12-inch rectangle.
  3. Spread the tapenade all over the rectangle. Pour the tomato/olive oil mixture on top and spread as well. Top with the parmesan, making sure you sprinkle it evenly.
  4. Roll up the dough, starting with one of the longer sides and wrapping it up like a jelly roll. Stop at the center of the pastry. Repeat with the other side until the 2 rolls meet at the center. Wrap and freeze for 15 minutes (at least).
  5. Heat the oven to 400oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Trim and discard the ends of the dough and cut the roll crosswise into ½-inch slices. Place the pieces on the sheet and bake for 10 minutes, reduce to 375oF, flip them over, and bake for 10 more minutes or until they turn golden brown.

5. Onion & Bacon Pastry Pizzas

Sure, pastry and pizza don’t have a lot in common. After all, the snack is best made when you use pizza dough. But the buttery and crispy texture of a short-crust pastry will make your pizza more indulgent. Not to mention, the toppings (caramelized onion, goat’s cheese, and arugula) will make you feel a tad fancier than your usual takeout.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Add the onions and bacon to a bowl along with 1 cup of warm water. Soak for 15 minutes. Once hydrated, squeeze away excess liquid and set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sautée the onion/bacon mixture for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 395oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Roll out the pastry sheets and cut a 7-inch circle out of each one. Divide the onion/bacon mixture between the two “pizza” doughs and season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the dough is puffed and golden. Remove from the oven, top with cheese and arugula, and serve.

6. Gougères (Savory French Choux Pastries)

Another savory twist on a classic French dessert, these choux pastries ditch the traditional vanilla cream and opt for a cream cheese-bell pepper spread instead. The dough is also laced with cheese, which means the puffs still taste great – even if you decide to skip the filling.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
  • 1/3 cup cream cheese
  • 3 tbsp dried bell peppers (mixed)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425oF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Add water, milk, butter, salt, and pepper to a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Whisk in the flour, reduce the heat to low, and mix for 2-3 minutes until your form a dough with a “crust” at the sides and bottom.
  4. Transfer the dough to a bowl and beat on low for a minute. Increase the speed to medium, add the eggs and cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
  5. Scoop spoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temp to 250oF and bake for 10 more minutes until the gougères are puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  6. Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese with the bell pepper. Slice the gougères in half, spread the mixture on the bottom half, and top with the other. Enjoy!

Do you have any pastry recipes that you make on the reg? Let us know in the comments down below!

References:

  1. https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pastry-day-december-9/
  2. https://dinnerthendessert.com/cherry-turnovers/
  3. https://cincyshopper.com/raspberry-crescent-danish-pastry/
  4. https://www.sugarsaltmagic.com/nutella-hand-pies/
  5. https://saltandwind.com/recipes/476-savory-provencal-palmiers-recipe
  6. https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/caramelised-onion-pastry-pizzas/
  7. https://www.browneyedbaker.com/gougeres-recipe/