Allumettes glacées

( Iced puff pastry fingers )

Make a batch of these elegant bite-sized treats for afternoon tea or your next cocktail party. Use some left-over puff pastry from the freezer, roll it out, then spread some glace royale over the top of them and what you will end up with is a simple but stunning, light and airy pastry, delicious with a cup of tea or a glass of wine or Champagne. More importantly, with their smooth, shiny finish and long delicate shape, they will make an otherwise routine gathering with friends seem like quite a sophisticated affair (not guaranteed by this author).

Makes 40

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cold Puff Pastry, 5 single turns

Royal icing

1 egg white

250 g (9 oz) pure icing (confectioners’) sugar, sifted

squeeze of lemon juice

L Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 2.5 mm (¹/₈ in) thick rectangle measuring about 18 x 40 cm (7 x 16 in). Remember to keep moving the dough and dust with extra flour when necessary so that it doesn’t stick to your work surface. If you haven’t achieved a perfectly shaped rectangle with your rolling pin towards the end of the rolling process, simply stretch and pull the dough into shape using your hands. Place the rolled-out dough (abaisse) on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

L Meanwhile, to make the royal icing, put the egg white and a little icing sugar in a small bowl and mix with a spatula until the sugar has dissolved (see tip). Gradually stir in the rest of the icing sugar until a firm paste forms. Add ½ teaspoon lemon juice and stir vigorously for about 3 minutes, or until smooth and glossy. To check the consistency of your icing, lift the spatula from the mixture and look for a soft peak. If the icing is too firm, add a few more drops of lemon juice (conversely, if it’s too soft, add more icing sugar). Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and set aside at room temperature.

L Remove the pastry on the tray from the fridge. Using a flat spatula, spread a 1 mm (¹/₃₂ in) thin layer of royal icing over the top, taking care that the icing is spread evenly all over the surface. You may not need the whole amount of icing. Place the pastry in the freezer for 30 minutes.

L Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Transfer the frozen pastry to a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut the pastry into 2 x 9 cm (³/₄ x 3½ in) rectangles. To ensure neat edges, dip the knife in hot water before cutting the pastry so the icing doesn’t stick to the knife, wipe the knife clean, then repeat the process.

L Place on the lined trays and bake for 20 minutes, or until the bases of the pastries are golden. If you notice that the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil and continue baking. Leave to cool a little on the trays before transferring to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

tip

Royal icing is traditionally used to pipe intricate decorations on wedding or Christmas cakes and gingerbread houses. To get the best results always follow these rules:

L Never whisk the mixture. Any air pushed into the mix will make it very brittle and difficult to pipe, so always use a flat spatula and a bit of elbow grease.

L The lemon juice helps to bind the albumen cells (egg protein) together. This improves the elasticity of the icing, but also enables you to work with a softer mixture that will set quickly and neatly. Alternatively, you can replace the lemon juice with cream of tartar or vinegar (acetic acid).