STRAWBERRY ALMOND PUFF PASTRY SHORTCAKES

By gaster16

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Shortcakes:
• 1/2 recipe Puff Pastry
• 1 egg white lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar divided
• 4 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Puff Pastry:
• 1-1/2 cups 3 sticks unsalted butter chilled dividied
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-3/4 cups ice water

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking shset with parchment paper. Place almonds and 1/4 cup sugar in food processor, pulse until almonds are finely ground. Add butter and almond extract, pulse until butter is distributed and mixture is crumbly. Process 1 minute or until nuts just begin to form paste. Place in small bowl, cover and let stand at room temperature while baking pastry.

On lightly floured surface, roll pastry into 13x10” rectangle 1/8” thick. Trim edges even using a sharp knife, being careful to cut straight down. Cut pastry into 6 rectancles, place on baking sheet. Refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes or until pastry is chilled. Rectangles can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bake 10-12 minutes or until pastry is puffed and light golden brown. Remove from oven. Brush with egg white, sprinkle each with almonds and scant 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Bake 3-5 minutes or until almonds are lightly toasted. Cool on wire rack.

Meanwhile in large bowl, stir together strawberries, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. In another large bowl, beat cream, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla at medium high speed until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate.

To serve carefully slice pastry rectancles in half horizontally. Place bottoms on individua plates. Place 2 tablespoons almond filling evenly on each pastry, top with half of the whipped cream and strawberries. Repeat with remaining whipped cream and strawberries. Cover with top half of pastry.

Puff Pastry:

Reserve and refrigerate 3 tablespoons of butter by cutting 1 tablespoon from each stick to keep the 3 sticks the same size. Place 3 sticks of butter side by side on parchment paper forming a block. Top with second piece of parchment. Pound butter with rolling pin until 3/4” thick. Remove top piece of parchment, fold butter in half, using bottom piece of parchment to help guide. Cover with top piece of parchment. Continue pounding and folding butter 2-3 times or until butter is pliable but still cold and not sticky. Shape into 5” square, sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or until chilled but not hard.

Meanwhile in large bowl, stir together flour and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in reserved 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Add 1/2 cup of the ice water, mix with fork until soft dough forms, adding additional water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary. On lightly floured surface, knead dough 30 seconds or until smooth and pliable. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

On floured surface roll dough into 12” square. Place butter in center of dough, fold ends over butter to meet in center. Fold sides of dough over butter, press dough with rolling pin to seal seams. Turn dough one-fourth turn.

Pound dough with rolling pin to soften slightly. Roll out dough to 18x6” rectangle. Fold dough like a letter, folding up bottom third and covering with top third. Press firmly with rolling pin 3-4 times to seal. Turn dough a1/4 turn so edges are facing you. Repeat rolling dough into 18x6” rectangle and folding like a letter, press with rolling pin to seal edges. Make two fingerprints in corner of dough to indicate it has been rolled and turned twice. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes or until cold.

Repeat Step 5 two more times for a total of 6 rolls. Indicate with fingerprints how many times the dought has been rolled and turned. If butter comes through dough or dough becomes sticky, stop immediately. Sprinkle flour on problem area and refrigerate unti dough is well-chilled before proceeding. Dough can be refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 1 month.