5 Fancy Pastry Recipes
What’s a pastry recipe if it is not fancy? We all enjoy a nice decadent and delicious pastry, so it must be good if it looks good, right? Pastries are made with the perfect amount of flour, water, and shortening, and they could be savory or sweet with a beautiful flaky, crumbly crust. It is up to you which kind you usually go for. Everyone and I believe everyone enjoys baked goods. That said, here are 5 fancy pastry recipes!
Mille-Feuille Pastry
Pastry recipes are a must to set your gathering or celebration apart. This classic pastry recipe is filled with rich, velvety vanilla pastry cream and vanilla icing. The layers are light and airy, with a delicate appeal to set off any dinner. This delicious and luxuriously milky dessert has the perfect combination of butter and sugar, flawless and beautiful.
Instructions
Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk (473mL)
- 1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise
- 6 egg yolks
- 2/3 cup sugar (135g)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (37g)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (15g) cold
- 1 package of frozen puff pastry
Chocolate Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
Whipped Cream Filling
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Slice a vanilla bean down the middle and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.
- Transfer the milk and vanilla seeds to a medium pot and place over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil whisking occasionally, then immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes.
- Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a bowl, add the egg yolks, and whisk until light and fluffy.
- Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the saucepan.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, constantly whisking, until thickened and slowly boiling.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly.
- Cover with plastic wrap, lightly pressing the plastic against the surface to prevent skin forming.
- Chill for at least 2 hours or until cooled.
- Preheat oven to 400F. Thaw, roll dough to 1/16 an inch and cut your puff pastry to 2×4 inch rectangles.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cutout dough about 2 inches apart, then place another parchment sheet on top and repeat the process with the other cut pastry pieces.
- Bake pastry cutouts for about 11 minutes until golden brown, rotating occasionally, then repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- For the glaze, add the powdered sugar to a large bowl with the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk. The consistency should be like a light spread.
- Transfer 1/3 cup of the glaze to a different bowl and add the cocoa powder with another tablespoon of milk for the same consistency as the glaze.
- Transfer each icing batch to a piping bag.
Assembly
- Layout 9 rectangles onto a wire rack over a piece of paper. Spread the vanilla icing onto each rectangle, then pipe stripes of chocolate onto each one. Use a toothpick, skewer, or knife to create the chevron pattern by dragging the tool across the chocolate stripes in alternating directions. Set aside to set.
- Whip the cream and powdered sugar together until somewhat stiff peaks form. Whip the chilled pastry cream to break it up and smooth it out. Add half a cup of the whipped cream to the pastry cream, then whisk together. Fold in the remaining whipped cream, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large rough tip.
- Pipe 8 dollops of pastry cream onto the first piece of puff pastry. Place another piece of pastry on top, then pipe eight more dollops and add the top.
Cream Puff Pastry
This pastry recipe is exquisite! Cream Puff pastries are a crowd-pleaser, and it’s pretty easy to tweak the flavor as long as you have a sturdy original solid base. Its pairs well with a hot drink for brunches or other celebratory events. Also, it’s sweet and crunchy and the perfect addition to your recipe book.
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 eggs
- whipped cream for filling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan.
- Add the butter to the water and stir until it is melted.
- Add the flour and salt all at once to the water mix.
- Stir until a ball is formed.
- Remove from heat, and add 1 egg. Beat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining eggs 1 at a time, and beat after each addition.
- Let stand for 10 minutes.
Assembly
- Pipe dough on cookie sheet
- Use a heaping tbsp for each puff and make sure they are about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven. Start checking them for around 20 minutes.
Chicken Puff Pastry
Chicken puff pastries are savory and hearty. Before your main meal, this could be an appetizer to really wow your quest, family, and friends. The meat in this pastry recipe is adequately seasoned and tenderized with the best amount of rich buttery goodness.
Ingredients
- 500g Ready-made pastry dough
- Egg Wash
- 200g heavy cream
- 6-7 chopped mushrooms
- 100g diced chicken cubed
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- pinch of salt
- coriander for garnish
- 2g oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Roll out the ready-made puff pastry.
- Using a round cutter, cut out puffs for the puff pastry.
- Using a smaller round cutter, cut these circles hollow.
- Stick the outer round of these cutout puff pastry circles on top of the round cut puff pastries.
- Then place these in a baking tray
- Bake in the oven at 180°C for 35 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan, sauté mushrooms and chopped garlic for filling.
- Then add in chicken chunks and sauté.
- Add in salt, oregano, and pepper.
- Then add in the cream.
- Cool this filling and fill it in the baked puff pastries.
Chocolate Croissant
Who doesn’t love chocolate? This is a chocolate lover’s dream when it comes to croissants! The layers are flaky and buttery. This recipe is worth the time and preparation because the results are that good! These croissants are crisp and melt in your mouth incredible.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package of Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
- 2/3 cup (113 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips or small chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
- Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet, then lightly dust the top with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the sheet into a 16-inch square. Cut pastry square in half, then cut each half into four rectangles (making eight, 8-inch by 4-inch rectangles). Now, cut each rectangle diagonally into two triangles (making 16 triangles).
- Place about 2 teaspoons of the chocolate chips down the center of each triangle. Then, starting at the wider end, roll each triangle up. Place each croissant seam-side down so that the tip of the triangle is tucked under the rolled croissant. Then, bend in the edges, creating a crescent shape. Lightly brush tops of croissants with egg wash.
- Bake croissants for 20-30 minutes until golden brown
Chocolate Eclair
Fair warning, this chocolate eclair recipe won’t last in your kitchen because you’ll, without a doubt, be eating them all up. The recipe is ridiculously delicious and easy to make. These eclairs are also very versatile and unmatched when showing off your dessert skills.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 (5 ounces) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 1/2 cup cold milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 (1 ounce) squares of semi sweet chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition, with a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, scoop, or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4-inch strips.
- Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- To combine pudding mix and milk in a medium bowl for the filling according to package directions. Beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form in a separate bowl. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.
- Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat for the icing. Stir in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving.
