Sweet Puff Pastry

[DuzyEverwork]

I usually make (rough) puff pastry from a Gordon Ramsay recipe (forgive me!) which is equal quantities of fat (I use half lard, half butter) to flour. If I wanted to make a sweet puff pastry do I simply add some castor sugar to the mix or should I replace some of the flour weight with the caster sugar?
Thank you for any insight, I have looked on the internet without much success BTW.

[vodkancoke]

If it were me, I would make your same recipe and dust icing sugar over the top before you bake it.

[DuzyEverwork]

Thanks VnC I might give that a go. We live in Spain and they sell a pastry here called 'caracolas' which translated means snails, its a puff type pastry with sultanas rolled into a swiss roll type shape and cut into rounds... that's where I am going with my question.

[sunny-dave]

You could make your standard rough puff and dribble a bit of black treacle over it before rolling in the sultanas ?

[vodkancoke]

I know the one you mean. It's lush! I'm sure someone more knowledgable that me can help you.

[TheWinner]

I think you are referring to Palmiers.
I will try and find a link for you, meanwhile, I would say you roll out the puff pastry into squares (8 inch I think) mix some brown sugar with a little cinnamon and sprinkle over the pastry, add some sultanas and roll the left hand side into the middle, then roll the right hand side also into the middle. Then you turn the pastry over and cut into strips and place on the baking sheet (onto parchment paper) and bake. I have seen Anna Olson making them. Here is a link, although it shows the recipe for Savoury Palmiers.
Hope this helps.
http://www.thehomechannel.co.za/savoury-hors-doeuvres/

[society]

I make something similar but I use currants. And I sprinkle brown sugar on the currants before rolling it. Also, I use only cold butter for the pastry dough.

[TheWinner]

Two different links for you, with two different ways of shaping the dough.

[TheWinner]

[vodkancoke]

Oh sorry DuzyEverwork, the dish I was thinking of was filo pastry, rolled into a huge spiral in a tin. It is stuffed with almonds and sultanas and dusted with icing sugar.
If it's palmiers you are making, you can sprinkle any sugar over the top before rolling as the others have said :)

[DuzyEverwork]

Thanks all. No, certainly not palmiers which are a different thing entirely but with a similar name and almost like the French Pains aux rasins but that is a bit more cake like than pastry, sort of a cross between the two. I suppose my question really should be how do you make sweet puff pastry whatever you are going to make!!

[gingejbee]

I'm no expert but thought that the sweetness of these would come from the filling and not the pastry.
I wouldn't just add sugar to the pastry mix, unless a recipe specifically tells you to. Just my opinion though!

[TheWinner]

I don't know of any recipe that would add the sugar to the puff pastry mix.
You usually add the sugar with any fruit filling, or before baking, like in Eccles Cakes, where the fruit is added, its then rolled out/shaped, then it is glazed, and sprinkled with sugar before baking.
I wouldn't add sugar to the puff pastry mix. I would only add sugar to a shortcrust pastry mix.

[DuzyEverwork]

OK, thanks. No sugar it is then, as you say I'll add it to the filling. Thanks x

[TheWinner]

Cinnamon Pinwheels



Roll the pastry out to about 10 x 12 inches

Cinnamon Spread (mix together)

2 ounces Softened Butter
2 ounces Light Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Spread this over the dough

Sprinkle over some currants

Roll up like a swiss roll and seal the end with a little egg wash

Cut into equal slices, turn cut side up, and flatten

Put onto a greased & floured baking sheet and leave to rise

Brush the outside carefully with egg wash

Bake at Gas Mark 6 for 12-15 mins
When they come out of the oven, brush them with warm, sieved apricot jam