4 Easy Pastry Recipes That'll Make You Look Like a Professional Chef

One thing that you can do that will make

all your friends think you're a pastry chef

are these jam and cream cheese pinwheels.

Dust it with a little bit of flour,

roll it out to smooth the creases a bit.

Trim the edge of the pastry.

I have a ruler here just to help me

make nice regular shapes.

This will make about six.

I take a small paring knife,

I make four cuts toward the center

of the square from each corner.

It's time to fill the pastries.

I'm going to use a little offset spatula

to spread about a tablespoon of cream cheese

in the very center of each square.

A little bit of jam.

This is apricot jam, you could use raspberry,

or strawberry, any kind you have at home.

I'm gonna dollop maybe about two teaspoons into the center.

I have some toothpicks here.

I'm going to break them in half.

The toothpicks will hold the pastries in place as they bake.

I'm going to take half of each point

and fold it toward the center.

Just make sure you work from the same side of each point.

So I'm going to start on the left,

and fold half of the triangle into the center.

So stack them one on top of the other.

And then secure with the toothpick.

We're gonna brush it with a little bit

of egg beaten with a tablespoon of water.

I only want to brush the flat sides

of the pastry, not the cut sides.

These are ready for the oven.

They will bake for about 15 or 20 minutes

at 425 until golden brown.

They came together so fast, but they look

fancy enough to go in a pastry case.

Here I have a sheet of puff pastry

that I rolled out and cut into about five inch squares.

I want to dock the pastry which means

I prick it all over with the tines of a fork.

I have a little bit of creme fraiche here.

Spread a thin layer over the center.

This kale has been massaged with a little bit

of olive oil and salt.

Ham.

I don't crack the egg in just yet.

I want the side to puff up and start to brown

so that I have a nice well for the egg.

They go in at 425 for about ten minutes.

These tarts are half-baked,

they're ready for the egg.

These are ready to go back in the oven

for about ten or twelve minutes

just until the whites are set and the yolks are runny.

These savory pull-apart rolls are

one of my favorite ways to use puff pastry.

Use a non-stick cooking spray.

Lightly flour my surface.

Just dust off any excess flour.

Egg wash.

Finely grated parmesan cheese.

Everything spice mix.

I want to cut the pastry

to five even strips lengthwise.

Just stack one on top of the other.

With the last piece, gonna turn it over

so that the cheesy side is facing in.

I divide.

These guys go in upright, so cut sides facing up.

I just egg wash the sides, only the flat sides.

Not the top, which is the cut side.

Now into a 425 oven until they're really

golden brown and puffy, about 20 or 25 minutes.

I have some blueberries here, that I toss

with cornstarch, some lemon juice and some sugar.

I cut my puff pastry into six equal rectangles.

Start with egg wash, only going around the edges.

My blueberry filling, about two tablespoons.

And I just concentrate a pile of blueberries to one side.

I take one side of the pastry

and I just fold it over the blueberries,

and press gently around the seams

to seal with my fingers.

Then I use the fork.

I'm going to dip it in a little flour

and really firmly crimp all the way around the edge.

A little more egg wash over the surface.

I like the way three little slits look.

You could do one large one.

This is raw sugar.

These are ready for the freezer about ten minutes

and then into the oven until puffed and golden.