Chocolate-glazed Slices

Earn the title of master pastry chef with these fancy, chocolate-topped delicacies. Recipe makes 12 slices.

Ingredients:

3 sheets frozen ready-rolled butter puff pastry (10 x 10 inch/25 x 25 cm), thawed
Filling:
2 cups milk
3 teaspoons powdered gelatin
5 teaspoons cornflour
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring essence
1/4 pint (150 ml) fresh or thickened cream
Topping:
6 ounces (185 g) dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
12 walnut halves
Fresh strawberries, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Sprinkle 3 large baking trays with cold water.
2. Lay the pastry sheets on a lightly floured work surface. Cut each square sheet down the center; trim the outer long edges, then cut each rectangle across into six equal pieces to give a total of 36 pieces. Place on the baking trays and prick well with a fine fork.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked. Cool on a wire rack.
4. For the filling, put 1/3 cup milk into a small heatproof bowl; sprinkle the gelatin over and leave to soak. Dissolve in a hot-water bath; leave until lukewarm.
5. Blend the cornflour and sugar smoothly with 1/4 cup milk in a mixing bowl, then stir in the remaining milk.
6. Put the cornflour mixture in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and beat in the eggs. Return to a low heat and stir constantly until thick. Pour into the mixing bowl; cool until lukewarm.
7. Quickly stir in the gelatin mixture and vanilla. Then cover and chill until almost at setting point.
8. Meanwhile, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold into the filling mixture until smooth. Chill until thick enough to fill the pastries.
9. Arrange the pastry in stacks of three. Sandwich the pastry layers together with the filling, dividing evenly.
10. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Spread over the top of each pastry slice and top with a walnut half. Serve accompanied with strawberries.

Creamy Slices with Lemon Sauce

These pastries taste great with any combination of fresh seasonal fruit. Recipe makes 6 slices.

Ingredients:

8 ounces (250 g) puff pastry or 2 sheets frozen pre-rolled puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 pint (300 ml) fresh or thickened cream
4 teaspoons caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring essence
4-8 ounces (125-250 g) raspberries and/or redcurrants
Icing sugar, to sift
Sauce:
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
2 tablespoons julienne of lemon rind

Method:

1. Lay a sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface; brush with cold water and lay the second pastry sheet on top. Roll over lightly with a rolling pin to seal. Trim the edges with a large sharp knife. Cut the pastry in half lengthwise, to make two wide strips about 10 x 5 inch (25 x 12.5 cm). Cut each strip into three 5 x 3 inch (12.5 x 7.5 cm) rectangles.
2. Preheat the oven to 440 degrees F (220 degrees C). Put the pastry rectangles on a large baking tray. To make the lids, score a border around each rectangle 1/2 inch (1 cm) in from the edge. Be careful not to cut all the way through the pastry.
3. Chill the pastry shapes for 10 minutes. Brush tops with egg and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until well risen and golden.
4. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Carefully remove the lids from the center of each pastry rectangle and reserve.
5. For the sauce, put the white sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and 3 fl ounces (90 ml) water into a small pan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil for 5 minutes, or until thickened and reduced slightly. Leave to cool completely.
6. Put the cream, caster sugar and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer or hand-held rotary beater until soft peaks form.
7. Spoon the cream mixture and fruit onto the pastry bases. Put the lids on top and sift the icing sugar. Serve with the lemon sauce.

Tip: If preferred, use strawberries, cherries or blueberries in place of raspberries or redcurrants. Stone the cherries and slice the strawberries before filling the pastry cases.

Wholemeal Salmon Slices

Eat this on the day you make it because it does not keep. Use the soft bread from the center of the bread stick to make breadcrumbs. Recipe serves 8 as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

15 ounce (440 g) can pink salmon
4 ounces (125 g) ricotta cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 spring onions (shallots), chopped
1 teaspoon gelatin
2 tablespoons hot water
1 wholemeal bread stick

Method:

1. Drain the juice from the salmon and discard skin and bones.
2. Mash the salmon and mix well with the cheese.
3. Add lemon juice, curry powder, salt and spring onions.
4. Melt gelatin in hot water, cool slightly, and stir into salmon mixture.
5. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Cut bread stick into two equal lengths, and remove the crusty ends. Hollow out with knife or spoon. Discard the soft center.
7. Spoon filling into centers of bread stick and pack in firmly.
8. Wrap in aluminum foil and chill until ready to serve.
9. Slice in 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces and serve.