Year End Final Exam (mystery ingredient lemon): 

15 minute Puff Pastry

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
150 mL high-quality butter (5 ounces), cold
1/3 cup ice cold water

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt. Stir to mix.
2. Next, cube the butter and then add it to the flour bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dough. It will be very crumbly, and you're done when the butter is in uniform pieces all about the size of peas.
3. Next, make a hole in the center of the dough and pour in all of the water. Using a fork, stir to combine the dough.
4. Flour a cutting board, and add the dough. Pat it into a rough square. You will still see chunks of butter and it will seem too dry, but do not add extra water. The dough will come together with each roll.
5. Flour the rolling pin, and roll the dough out in front of you into a rectangle about 10" long. No need to be too precise here.
6. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the middle of the dough. Fold the upper third of the dough on top of the middle too. Rotate the dough one-quarter turn, and repeat. Use additional flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
7. Roll out, fold, and turn the dough at least 6 or 7 times.
8. When done, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour, or overnight. Dough may be frozen, too.
9. Roll out with flour for desired puff pastry use.

Lemon Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients 

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
120 mL cream cheese, softened
¼ cup Confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp Vanilla 
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup Lemon Curd
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Mix cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest together until thoroughly combined.
3. Unfold thawed puff pastry sheet and roll it out into a rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.
4. Cut 1 inch strips down the left and right thirds of the puff pastry, leaving the middle section untouched.
5. Add cream cheese mixture to the middle of the puff pastry and then spread the lemon curd over it. Fold the end of the puff pastry up and over, then fold the top strip from the left in towards the middle. Fold a strip from the right inwards to overlap the left strip. Continue alternating left and right down the length of the puff pastry.
6. Make a simple egg wash by mixing the egg and water and brush the egg wash over the puff pastry.
7. Place in a 400 F oven to bake for for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. While the pastry bakes make the glaze by mixing the confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest together in a bowl.
9. Once the pastry is cooked and has cooled to room temperature drizzle the glaze over and enjoy!

  

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

500 mL sifted all purpose flour 1 dash 7 mL baking powder 125 mL unsalted butter 125 mL sugar 1 large egg 5 mL vanilla extract 5 mL lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon royal icing (optional) Directions

1.  In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

2. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs.

3. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in vanilla or lemon juice and zest. Wrap dough in plastic; chill for about 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 325°. On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets; refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and decorate with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until edges just start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Decorate with Royal Icing, if desired. May be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Tomato Tart with Black Pepper Parmesan Crust

Crust:
310 mL all-purpose flour
125 mL cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
30 mL freshly grated parmesan
2 mL black pepper
1 mL salt
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water  

Filling:
80 mL mozzarella cheese, shredded
30 mL chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish
4 to 6 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch
2 mL salt
1 mL black pepper
60 mL extra virgin olive oil
Basil, chopped for garnish


Directions:

1. Preheat oven: 400 degrees F.
2. Line loose bottom tart pan with dough rolled out 1/8-inch thick.
3. Spread bottom of pastry with shredded cheese and sprinkle with basil. Cover with tomato slices, arranging to cover as evenly as possible. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Bake 20 to 30 minutes. Watch carefully. When crust is golden and cheese is bubbly, remove.
5. Garnish with fresh basil. Slice in wedges and serve warm.

Snickerdoodles


Ingredients 

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar 
2 eggs 
2 teaspoons vanilla 
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon white sugar 
2 teaspoons cinnamon 

Directions

1. 
   Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.