Apricot Breakfast Pastry

Spring is almost here! All of the leaves have fallen and new colorful buds are in its place. Daylight Savings is bringing in some much needed sunshine. Soon, church ladies will be dressed in pastel colored suits and elegant hats for Easter Brunch. These Apricot Breakfast Pastries from Tutti Dolci would be a perfect addition for any Spring Brunch or with coffee for a tasty breakfast. Easy to assemble they can be made ahead and frozen. With just a bit of tartness, these pastries are the perfect bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp honey

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp pure almond extract

1/2 cup apricot jam

Assembly

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp water

Topping

2 Tbsp sliced almonds

2 Tbsp sugar

Preparation

1.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured board and roll out into a 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Use a sharp knife to cut the rectangle into 12 squares, and transfer squares to baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart.

2. Combine cream cheese, sugar, honey, salt, vanilla, and almond extract in a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a piping bag, and pipe (or spoon) filling into the center of each square. Top with a spoonful of jam. Freeze pastries on baking sheet until the filling is frozen, about 1 1/2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F and whisk together egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the sides of the pastry lightly with egg wash, and sprinkle pastries with sliced almonds and sugar. Bake pastries for about 14 minutes, until tops are golden. Carefully tent with foil, and continue baking another 8 to 10 minutes, until pastry is fully baked through. Place baking sheet on a wire rack, and let pastries cool slightly (15 to 20 minutes) before serving.

NOTES

Make ahead: Freeze assembled pastries on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for storage. When ready to bake, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sliced almonds and sugar, and bake directly from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.