Lotus Pastry Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and fine salt in a large bowl until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.

Add Lotus spread and ice water

Warm the Lotus Biscoff spread slightly (5–10 seconds in microwave) so it's soft but not runny. Fold the spread into the flour-butter mixture until it forms a sandy texture. Drizzle ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and gently mix just until the dough begins to come together. Do not overwork — dough should hold when pressed but still be slightly crumbly.

Chill and rest

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disc about 1-inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days). Chilling firms the butter and helps prevent shrinkage during baking.

Prepare the cookie crumble by combining the finely crushed Lotus cookies, brown sugar, melted butter, and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir until crumbs are evenly moistened and hold together when pinched. Set aside.

Heat milk and cream

In a small saucepan, combine whole milk and heavy cream and warm over medium heat until just simmering (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Temper egg yolks

In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and slightly pale. Slowly pour about one-quarter of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking to temper, then gradually whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk.

Thicken custard

Return saucepan to medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency (about 2–4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and Lotus Biscoff spread until smooth and fully incorporated. Let cool slightly, then cover with plastic pressed to the surface to prevent a skin; chill until ready to use.

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll and cut dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled pastry dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. For hand pies or turnovers, cut into 4–5 inch circles or squares. For a tart, press into a 9-inch tart pan and trim the edges, then dock the bottom with a fork.

Fill pastries

If making hand pies: place about 1 tablespoon of chilled Lotus custard (or 1½ teaspoons of Biscoff spread if skipping custard) in the center of each dough piece, top with about 1 teaspoon of the cookie crumble (do not overfill). Brush the edges with beaten egg, fold and seal using a fork, and cut a small vent on top. For a tart: spread a thin layer (about 2–3 tablespoons) of Lotus spread over the tart shell, sprinkle the cookie crumble evenly, then top with dots of custard if using.

Egg wash and decorate

Brush the tops of assembled pastries lightly with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with coarse sugar or a few crushed Lotus cookie crumbs for texture. Chill assembled pastries for 10–15 minutes to help maintain shape during baking.

Bake

Bake hand pies or turnovers for 18–22 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Bake tart shell blind (if pre-baking) for 15–20 minutes until golden; if filled for a short bake, bake 12–15 minutes until set. Times vary with size—watch for golden edges.

Cool and finish

Remove pastries from oven and cool on a rack. For tarts, let cool to room temperature before removing ring. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm or at room temperature.