I love buttery flakes of perfectly baked puff pastry which melt in the mouth. Pure butter puff pastry can be amazing. Who does not like an accurately baked, pure butter apple turnover with a slight tart apple filling? It is just perfection. Or a caramelized palmier with hints of cardamom? Allumettes [al-yoo-MEHTS] are another one of my favorites. The thin layer of royal icing spread on the surface before being baked highlights the butter flavor of the puff pastry and turns it into something extraordinary. I like allumettes plain, served with a good cup of espresso or filled with cream and slightly acidic fruit.
My preferred method of puff pastry is using the inversed method which in just a few weeks I will write an article on inversed puff pastry. Certainly good quality puff pastry made with pure butter can be found in specialty stores or through wholesale.
Getting it all together!
Puff pastry can be frozen so it can be made in advance. However, puff pastry is only good the day it was baked. The blackberry pastry cream to fill the allumettes can be made a day in advance.
1. Roll out the puff pastry to 1/8 inch (2.3 mm) thick. Place in the freezer until hard.
2. Spread a thin layer of royal icing on the surface of the frozen puff pastry sheet. Cut into desired length and width. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake at 350°F (180°C) until light golden. Baking at this temperature may seem slightly low, but it is necessary to retain a good color.
4. Once cooled cut in half and fill with blackberry pastry cream and berries.
Blackberry Pastry Cream
Note: The preparation of this pastry cream is slightly different compared to a standard procedure. This method is used to prevent the acidity of the fruit from curdling the milk. Divide the recipe in half for a smaller amount.
1 Cup (8 oz) Seedless blackberry puree 240 g
| 1Cup | (8 oz) | Whipping cream | 240 g |
| 2 Cups | (16 oz) | Milk | 480 g |
| ½ Cup | (4 oz) | Extra fine granulated sugar (a) | 120 g |
| 8 | (8) | Large egg yolks | 8 |
| 6 Tablespoons | (3oz) | Extra fine granulated sugar (b) | 90 g |
| 9 Tablespoons | (2.5oz) | Cornstarch | 75 g |
| 2 Tablespoons | (1 oz) | Kirsch, raspberry or blackberry liquor | 30 g |
- In a saucepan bring to a boil the blackberry puree, whipping cream and sugar (a).
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks smooth, add the sugar (b) and whisk quickly and vigorously. Whisk in the cornstarch.
- In a separate pan bring the milk to a boil and add one fifth of the boiling milk into the yolk mixture and whisk. Pour the yolk mixture into the blackberry mixture and whisk quickly until boiling and is thickened like honey.
- Pour into a clean bowl, cover with plastic food wrap (Plastic touching the cream) and set the bowl on ice to chill rapidly.
- Add Kirsch or berry liquor to enhance the blackberry flavor.
Royal icing
2 (2 oz) Egg whites 60 g
| 2 ¼ Cups | (9 oz) | Confectioners (powdered sugar) | 270 g |
| ½ teaspoon | ( ½ tsp) | Lemon juice | 2.5 g |
- Combine the ingredients and mix with a paddle attachment on medium speed for 4-5 minutes.
- Cover tightly with plastic food wrap.
Chef,
Thanks so much for sharing the inversed puff pastry method in class. Can’t wait to see the article posted. Can the finished product be cut into circles or oval disks with cutters or is it best to avoid any further manipulation and work with the rectangular shape?
Hi Bernadette,
Yes, you can cut the royal icing glazed puff pastry in to circles and such. What I recommend is also to freeze the glazed dough until very firm before cutting. This will allow you to work much easier.
All the best, Eddy.
I’ve never seen these before or even heard of this, they look amazing! I learn something new every time I visit your blog Eddy. I’ll have to give this a try they look fantastic.
These were light, fresh and fantastic! Great job Chef Eddy!
Oh… my… gosh! This looks SO good! I’m with Lisa on this one – I have never heard of these. Or seen them. But they look… amazing! PLEASE tell me you have the makings for more, tucked away in the kitchen so I can try one of these!
What a neat combination of flavors. I can’t wait to make this!!
Totalmente espectacular!!
i really enjoying this site its help me to find a new ways in pastry
That black currant is better than the chocolate. Does your country harvest the Black currant fruit?
I made that blackberry pastry cream and layered it with some chocolate cake and blackberry-chocolate ganache. I’m going to try this recipe out whenever I’m more comfortable with making puff pastry.
simply magnificent! congratulations.
Chef Eddy,
Puff pastry is not only baked on high temperature, but it can also baked on lower temperature. Its taste and texture doesn’t change, althought it looks nicer. May I put some lemon zest in the ronal icing? I want my food to have a smell attracting others to try it. Thank you, Chef.
This pastry look amazing….. great job chef.
I love the way you use the blackerry pastry cream and the puff pastry together.
Blackberry pastry cream it sound delicious…. but passion fruit pastry cream is awesome too is the same recipe just replace the blackberries for passion fruit purée, but we did not add any kind of liqueur maybe next time I will add a little bit of liqueur for a better taste