Name: Berry Crossover Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup sugar ((60g) ); 2 Tablespoons cornstarch ((15g) ); pinch of salt; 2 egg yolks; 1 cup milk ((240ml) ); 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 pound Puff Pastry ((455g) , if dough is frozen allow to thaw for 20-30 minutes or until pliable); 1 pound fresh berries ((455g) , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (blueberries can be left whole)); optional-sugar (, to taste - see headnote); 1 cup Pastry Cream ((recipe above)); Egg Wash ((1 egg white beat w/ 1 tablespoon water)); Powdered Sugar ((optional))

Bowl

Whisk

Saucepan

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.  Whisk together then add egg yolks and mix until smooth. Set aside.

Put milk in a thick bottomed saucepan. Bring up to a simmer, stirring frequently to keep the milk from burning to the bottom of the pan. After the milk begins to simmer, remove from the heat and pour about 1/3 of the hot milk to the egg/sugar mix, whisking rapidly. Then pour the tempered egg/sugar/milk mix back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.

Return the saucepan to the stovetop and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and thickens to a pudding-like consistency.  Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Set aside and cover with a piece of wax or baking paper to keep a skin from forming. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator until needed. Can be kept in fridge for 3-4 days when used for baking.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Keeping the puff pastry dough lightly dusted with flour, roll out half of the dough (keep other half in the refrigerator until ready to use) to 1/8-inch thick and in a 9-inch x 9-inch square (if using store bought puff pastry, this is often the size each 1/2 pound section comes in. Just thaw to a workable pliability and dust with flour.) Trim the edges of the dough to form straight edges if needed.

Cut the dough in 1/2 lengthwise and 3rds crosswise (you'll have six 4.5-inch x 3-inch rectangles). Along the long edges of each rectangle, cut strips about 1-inch long and 1/2-inch wide -see note below for alternate cutting method. Be sure to slice all the way through the bottom layer. Place the rectangles on a prepared baking sheet pan. Repeat the rolling and scoring of the dough with the remaining 1/2 pound of puff pastry.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of pastry cream on down the middle of each rectangle. If adding extra sugar to the berries (see headnote), toss with sugar to taste. Place a layer of berries on top of the pastry cream.

Face the rectangles so the cut edges are on the left and right. Begin at the bottom, cross one strip over the pastry cream and berries. Cross the opposite side strip over the first strip. Continue this alternating left and right, making sure each strip is overlapping the previous opposite side to help lock it in. Do this down the length of each pastry and for all of the pastries.

Press down a little going the length of each pastry to help seal and lock the strips together. Brush with egg wash.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden.  If necessary, a sheet of parchment paper can be draped over the top of the crossovers if the tops are cooking faster than the rest of pastry.

Allow to cool, dust with powdered sugar if desired and enjoy.

Berry Crossover Recipe

Utensils needed:

Overview

Tagged with