EASY PASTRIES TO MAKE AT HOME

Pastries are a guilty pleasure. They always look so delicious in the display boxes that we want to spend all our monies buying them but there are no display boxes because it’s a weekend and you are indoors. And, it’s also good for the gram.

So why not go ahead and make some? After all, You’ve had a rough week, you've worked hard and you need some sugar for that energy boost.

We are sharing 3 of our favorite pastry recipes below. Let’s dig in!

1. Doughnuts with Grapefruit Curd and Citrus Sugar

INGREDIENTS

Grapefruit Curd

Citrus Sugar

Doughnuts

1 tablespoon finely grated grapefruit zest

1 cup fresh white grapefruit juice, strained

4 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

⅓ cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated grapefruit zest

¾ cup whole milk

½ vanilla flavor

3 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 ¼-ounce active dry yeast

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon salt

2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

Vegetable oil (for frying; about 6 cups),

Grapefruit Curd

Bring grapefruit juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until for 12–14 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Whisk egg yolks, eggs, sugar, and salt in a bowl to combine. Whisk in grapefruit zest, lemon zest, lemon juice, and grapefruit juice.

Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water. Cook/whisking almost constantly, until curd is thickened for 6–8 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter, adding a few pieces at a time.

Cover curd mixture and keep to chill, at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

Citrus Sugar

Combine sugar and zest in a small bowl. Let sit uncovered 12 hours to dry out.

Transfer to a blender and blend until powdery.

Doughnuts

· Heat milk in a small saucepan Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and add scrape in vanilla extract; Add 1 Tbsp. sugar and sprinkle yeast over. Let sit until yeast starts to foam, about 5 minutes.

· Add egg, egg yolk, honey, lemon zest, salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar.

· Mix gently with a wooden spoon until barely combined. Add 2¾ cups flour and knead with a dough until dough comes together into a mass that no longer sticks to the sides of bowl

· Turn out dough onto a flat surface and knead with your hands until smooth and springy, about 2 minutes.

· Transfer to a very lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

· Turn out dough onto a lightly flat floured surface and knead to desired size.

· Cut out doughnuts with cutter and reroll any scraps.

· carefully place dough balls into the preheated oil (frying about half of them at a time) and fry until golden brown on both sides.

· Use a sieve to transfer to paper towels, then let drain and roll in sugar

· Using a paring knife, poke a hole in the top of each doughnut, being careful not to push through to the opposite side. Transfer grapefruit curd to a piping bag or re-sealable plastic bag and fill doughnuts with grapefruit curd, then coat generously with citrus sugar.

2. Chocolate-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

· ½ cup unsalted butter

· ½ cup blanched hazelnuts, chopped

· 2 ounces chopped chocolate

· ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 1 cup sugar

· 2 cups all-purpose flour

· ¾ teaspoon baking powder

· ½ teaspoon baking soda

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 2 large eggs

· 1 cup plain whole Greek yogurt

Instructions

· Preheat oven to 350°. Butter baking pan; set aside.

· Throw hazelnuts, chocolate, cinnamon, and ¼ cup sugar in a bowl.

· Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.

· Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and remaining ¾ cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract and eggs.

· Add half of the dry ingredients, add yogurt in 2 additions, add remaining dry ingredients.

· Pour half of batter into prepared pan and smoothen the top. Add half of hazelnut mixture.

· Add remaining batter over and smoothen the top; top with remaining hazelnut mixture.

· Bake cake until top is golden brown (40–45 minutes)

3. Croissants

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cold

1 cup milk

egg wash (1 large egg beaten with a teaspoon or two of water)

Instructions

Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and mix together

Add butter and mix together.

Add the milk and stir together until a stiff dough forms.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle shape.

Fold it into thirds and kneed. Repeat 4 to 6 more times until it is smooth and flat.

Wrap tightly and chill for 1 more hour.

Cut the dough into long, skinny triangles, notch the wide end of each triangle and then roll from the wide end to the pointed end, tucking the point under the croissant.

Place on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and allow to rise until doubled in size (1 to 2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and gently brush the croissants with egg wash.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown, and flaky.