Pastry Tray Recipe

Prepare dough

Warm milk to about 110°F (warm to touch). In a small bowl combine warm water and yeast with 1 tsp sugar; let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. In a large bowl whisk flour, 0.25 cup sugar, and salt. Add foamy yeast, warm milk, softened butter, and egg. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand or mixer 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough is sticky, add up to 2 tbsp flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1–1.25 hours.

Fill and roll

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tbs melted butter. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon and evenly sprinkle across dough. Starting on the long side, roll tightly into a log. Pinch seam to seal.

Slice and second rise

Using a sharp serrated knife or dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal slices. Place in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan or two round pans. Cover and let rise another 30–45 minutes until puffy.

Bake

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake rolls for 18–22 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove to a rack.

Glaze

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk; beat until combined and spreadable. While rolls are warm, spread glaze over the tops. Serve warm or room temperature.

Make dough

Warm milk to about 105–110°F. Bloom yeast with milk and 1 tsp sugar for 5–8 minutes. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add yeast mixture, softened butter, and egg; mix to form a smooth dough. Knead 5–7 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Prepare filling and roll

On floured surface roll dough to about 10x14 inches. Brush with 1 tbs melted butter. Combine brown sugar, orange zest, and cardamom; sprinkle evenly. Roll from long edge into a log and seal seam.

Slice, proof and bake

Cut into 8 slices, place on a lined baking sheet or in a pan, cover and let rise 30–40 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake 16–20 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.

Glaze

Stir powdered sugar with orange juice to make a drizzle. Drizzle over warm rolls and allow to set before serving.

Make dough (detrempe)

Whisk yeast, sugar into cold water and let sit briefly. In a bowl combine flour and salt; add yeast mixture and 2 tbs softened butter. Mix to a cohesive dough, do not overwork. Shape into a rectangle, wrap and chill 30 minutes.

Prepare butter block and laminate

Soften the 12 tbs butter slightly then pound or roll into a 6x8-inch cold rectangle between parchment. Roll chilled dough to a 10x14-inch rectangle and place butter block in center. Fold dough over butter (book fold) to encase. Turn and roll to 10x14, perform a single letter fold (fold into thirds). Chill 20–30 minutes. Repeat roll and fold two more times (total 3 turns), chilling 20–30 minutes between turns to keep butter cold.

Shape croissants

After final chill, roll dough to about 10x20 inches. Cut into triangles for plain croissants (base ~4 inches). For chocolate croissants, cut rectangles about 3x5 inches. Place a chocolate stick near the wide end of a rectangle and roll toward the tip to enclose. Roll triangles from base to tip to form crescents. Place on lined baking sheet, cover and proof 60–90 minutes until puffy but still cool to touch.

Bake

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk egg with 1 tsp water for egg wash. Brush croissants gently and bake 15–20 minutes until deep golden and flaky. For chocolate croissants, bake same temperature/time. Cool slightly before serving.

Make pastry

In a bowl mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut cold butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time until dough comes together. Pat into a disk, chill 30 minutes.

Assemble

Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 9 rectangles (approx 3x4 inches). Place about 1 tsp jam/filling in the center of half the rectangles, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Brush borders with a little water and top with matching rectangles. Crimp edges with a fork to seal and vent the tops with a small knife slit.

Bake and ice

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 18–22 minutes until edges are golden. Cool on a rack. Whisk powdered sugar with milk to a pipeable icing and drizzle or spread over cooled pop tarts. Allow icing to set before stacking.

Mix dry ingredients

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl.

Cut in butter

Cut cold cubed butter into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.

Add wet and shape

Whisk cream, egg, and vanilla together; pour into dry mixture and fold until just combined. Gently fold in mix-ins (berries or chips). Turn dough onto a floured surface and pat into a 8-inch round about 1-inch thick. Cut into 12 wedges and place on a parchment-lined sheet.

Bake

Brush tops with a little cream if desired. Bake 15–18 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool slightly before serving.

Prepare batter

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl whisk oil, milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined (lumpy batter). Fold in blueberries for half the batter and chocolate chips for the other half.

Bake

Spoon batter into a 12-cup muffin tin lined or greased, filling about 3/4 full. Bake 18–22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes, transfer to a rack to finish cooling.