JAM PASTRIES

Few home-made treats are more appreciated than a batch of warm pastries filled with jam or vanilla custard. They do, I concede, require terrifying amounts of butter, but … needs must! Fill them with jam as I’ve done here, or with custard, a layer of frangipane and some thin slices of poached pear or apple. Or try apple and custard, sprinkled with some slivered almonds. Fresh berries are also delicious.

The pastries are best on the day they’re made, but can be reheated the next day. If you’re freezing them, pop them in the oven straight from the freezer to reheat.

MAKES 12

1 Tbsp (15 g) dried yeast

150 ml (5 fl oz) lukewarm water

A pinch of salt

2 Tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1 egg

350 g (2¹/₃ cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

320 g (11¼ oz) chilled unsalted butter, cut into thin strips

½ cup (165 g) jam (quince is particularly good)

Egg wash

1 egg

2 Tbsp single (pure) cream

Mix the yeast with the water. Add the salt, sugar and egg and, using your hand shaped like a claw, bring everything together into a lovely shaggy mess. Add the flour and turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave it to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inches). Arrange all of the butter in the centre. (I know it looks like a lot, and it is, but it’s worth it.) Fold the dough edges over the butter to meet in the middle, as if you’re making a dough envelope.

Turn the dough over so the seam is sitting underneath, then gently roll into a 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inch) rectangle again. Fold a third of the dough into the centre, then fold the other third over the top so that you have three layers of dough. Wrap in plastic and pop back in the fridge for 20 minutes. Take out, reroll and return to the fridge for another 20 minutes. Repeat the rolling and chilling once more.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Gently roll out the pastry into a 48 x 36 cm (19 x 4¼ inch) rectangle and cut this into 12 cm (4½ inch) squares. Place a dollop of jam in the centre of one pastry square, fold the edges over to make a little parcel and place on the tray. Repeat with the remaining pastry squares. Let the pastries rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).

Whisk the egg and cream together to make an egg wash. Brush over the pastries, sprinkle with a little extra sugar and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.