Assorted Pastries And Desserts Recipe

Make the dough

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or by hand), combine the warm milk and yeast with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let bloom 5 minutes until foamy. Add flour, remaining sugar (1 tbsp), salt, softened butter (2 tbsp), and mix on low until combined into a shaggy dough, about 2–3 minutes. If too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon cold water. Switch to a dough hook (if available) and knead 3–4 minutes until smooth but slightly tacky. Shape into a disk, cover, and chill 30 minutes.

Prepare butter block

While dough chills, beat or pound the cold 10 oz butter between two sheets of parchment to form a 7x5-inch rectangular block about 1/2-inch thick. Keep chilled but pliable.

Laminate (folding)

Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 10x12 inches. Center the butter block on one half and fold the other half over to encase the butter. Seal edges. Roll gently to a 20x10-inch rectangle. Perform a letter fold (fold one third over middle, then the other third over) — this is one turn. Chill 30 minutes. Repeat rolling and folding two more times (total 3 turns), chilling 30 minutes between turns. Keep dough cold to preserve butter layers.

Shape croissants

After final chill, roll dough to 14x10 inches, 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into 6 long triangles (base about 3.5–4 inches). Stretch each triangle slightly, roll from base to tip tightly to form crescent shape, tucking tip underneath. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment, spaced apart.

Proof and bake

Whisk the egg for egg wash. Lightly brush croissants. Proof in a warm, draft-free place until puffy and nearly doubled, 1.5–2 hours (or refrigerate overnight for slow proof). Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes before baking. Brush again with egg wash and bake 15–20 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Cool on rack.

Make biscotti dough

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat sugar and eggs until pale and thick, about 2–3 minutes. Add vanilla. Fold dry ingredients into wet just until combined; stir in chopped almonds.

Bake and twice-bake

Shape dough into two logs about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide on the prepared sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 25–30 minutes until set and light golden. Remove and cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300°F (150°C). Using a serrated knife, slice logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange cut side up and bake an additional 10–15 minutes (turning once halfway) until crisp but not overly browned. Cool completely on a rack.

Dip in chocolate

Melt dark chocolate gently in a double boiler or microwave in 20-second bursts stirring until smooth. Dip one end of each cooled biscotto into chocolate and place on parchment. Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds while chocolate is wet. Let set until chocolate firms.

Make tart crust

In a food processor, pulse flour, powdered sugar, and salt to combine. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse until dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.

Blind bake shells

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thick and cut into rounds to fit 8 mini 3-inch tartlet pans or a muffin tin. Gently press dough into pans and trim excess. Line each shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 12–14 minutes, remove weights and parchment, and bake another 6–8 minutes until golden. Cool on a rack.

Make lemon curd

In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon (about 7–10 minutes). Do not boil vigorously to avoid curdling. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in the cubed butter pieces until smooth and glossy. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill until set, at least 1 hour.

Fill tartlets

Spoon or pipe chilled lemon curd into cooled tartlet shells. Smooth tops. Chill to set another 30 minutes. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar before serving and garnish with fresh berries if desired.

Make choux pastry

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment and fit a piping bag with a round tip (about 1/2 inch). In a medium saucepan combine water, milk, and butter; bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from sides. Return to low heat and cook 1–2 minutes to dry slightly. Transfer to bowl and let cool 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, until smooth glossy pipeable choux forms that holds a soft peak. Transfer to piping bag and pipe 12 logs about 3 inches long, spaced well apart.

Bake choux

Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 15–18 minutes until puffed and golden and shells are hollow-sounding. Avoid opening oven during baking. Remove and cool on a rack; prick each to release steam if needed.

Fill éclairs

When shells are cool, slice tops or make a small hole at one end and pipe about 2 tablespoons pastry cream into each shell. Return to fridge to chill while preparing glaze.

Make chocolate glaze

Heat heavy cream until just simmering and pour over chopped dark chocolate. Let sit 1 minute then whisk until smooth. Dip tops of filled éclairs into glaze, allow excess to drip back into bowl, and set on a rack. Chill briefly to set glaze.

Arrange croissants, biscotti, tartlets, and éclairs on a platter. Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over the chocolate-dipped biscotti and scatter fresh berries around the tartlets. Dust assorted pastries lightly with confectioners' sugar for a finished look. Serve at room temperature (croissants and tartlets) and slightly chilled (éclairs). Store leftovers in an airtight container: croissants 1–2 days at room temperature, tartlets and éclairs refrigerated up to 3 days, biscotti at room temperature up to a week.