Combine warm milk and yeast. Add sugar, stir, let foam 5 minutes. Add eggs and butter. Add flour and salt. Knead with dough hook 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place in oiled bowl, cover, rise 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
Mix filling: beat soft butter with brown sugar and cinnamon into a smooth paste.
Punch down dough. Roll into 40x30cm rectangle on floured surface. Spread filling all the way to edges.
Roll tightly from the long side into a log. Cut into 12 equal rolls using dental floss or sharp knife.
Place cut-side up in buttered 9x13 pan, barely apart. Cover and rise 45 minutes until puffy.
Bake 175°C (350°F) for 22-25 minutes until golden. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla into smooth glaze.
Spread glaze over hot rolls immediately. Serve warm.
🥐Spanakopita
⏱ 1 hr 20 min👤 12
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🧺 Ingredients
450g phyllo dough thawed
600g fresh spinach
300g feta cheese crumbled
2 large eggs
1 onion finely diced
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tbsp fresh dill
¼ tsp nutmeg
150ml olive oil for brushing
1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
👨🍳 Instructions
Wilt spinach, squeeze out every drop of moisture. Chop roughly. Sauté onion in olive oil 5 min, add garlic 1 min. Cool completely.
Combine spinach, onion mixture, feta, eggs, dill, nutmeg, pepper. Taste and season well.
Preheat oven 190°C (375°F). Brush 9x13 pan with oil.
Layer 8 phyllo sheets, brushing each thoroughly with oil. Spread spinach filling evenly.
Layer remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with oil including the top.
Score top layers into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Brush top generously with oil.
Bake 40-45 minutes until deep golden and crispy. Cool 15 minutes before cutting.
Cut along scored lines and serve warm or at room temperature.
🥐Apple Turnovers
⏱ 55 min👤 8
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🧺 Ingredients
2 sheets (500g) puff pastry thawed
4 apples peeled cored diced
60g (¼ cup) butter
80g (⅓ cup) brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp sugar for sprinkling
👨🍳 Instructions
Cook apple filling: melt butter, add apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Cook 5-7 min until softened. Mix cornstarch with lemon juice, add to pan, cook 2 min until thickened. Cool completely.
Preheat oven 200°C (400°F). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares — 8 squares total.
Brush edges of each square with egg wash. Place 2-3 tbsp cooled filling on one half leaving 1.5cm border.
Fold diagonally to create triangle. Press edges firmly, crimp with fork to seal. Cut 2-3 slits on top.
Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate 15 min.
Bake 22-25 minutes until deeply golden and flaky. Cool 10 min before eating — filling is very hot.
Serve warm. Optional: drizzle powdered sugar glaze over cooled turnovers.
Make pastry: pulse flour, salt, cold butter until breadcrumb texture. Add ice water until dough forms. Shape into disk, refrigerate 30 min.
Roll to 3-4mm, line 23cm tart pan. Prick base, freeze 15 min. Blind bake with weights at 190°C (375°F) for 15 min. Remove weights, bake 10 more min until golden.
Cook bacon until crispy. In same fat, caramelize onion over low heat 15-20 min. Cool.
Whisk eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, salt, white pepper. Strain through fine sieve.
Scatter bacon and caramelized onion in pastry base. Cover with Gruyere.
Pour custard slowly over filling to just below rim.
Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 30-35 min until just set with slight wobble in center. Cool 20 min before slicing. Garnish with chives.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
🥐Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
⏱ 45 min👤 30 puffs
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🧺 Ingredients
240ml (1 cup) water
115g (½ cup) unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
150g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs room temperature
120g (1 cup) Gruyere finely grated
30g (¼ cup) Parmesan grated
½ tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp black pepper, pinch cayenne
Extra Gruyere for topping
👨🍳 Instructions
Preheat oven 200°C (400°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Boil water, butter, and salt. When fully boiling, remove from heat and add all flour at once. Stir vigorously — dough forms a smooth ball quickly.
Return to medium heat. Stir constantly 2 minutes until dough films the pan and pulls away cleanly. This removes excess moisture.
Transfer to stand mixer. Beat 2 min to cool. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each — dough looks broken briefly but comes together. After all eggs, dough should be smooth and fall in thick ribbon.
Fold in Gruyere, Parmesan, Dijon, pepper, cayenne.
Pipe or spoon mounds about 4cm wide, spacing 5cm apart. Top each with pinch of extra Gruyere.
Bake 25-30 minutes until deeply golden. Do NOT open oven before 20 min. Ready when hollow when tapped on bottom.
Cool slightly. Best eaten warm within an hour. Reheat at 180°C for 5 min if needed.
Day 2 Butter block: 280g cold European unsalted butter
Egg wash: 2 egg yolks + 2 tbsp cream
👨🍳 Instructions
Day 1: Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, milk, butter in stand mixer 5 min until smooth. Do not over-knead. Shape into rectangle, wrap tightly, refrigerate overnight.
Day 2: Beat cold butter between parchment into 17x17cm square — pliable but cold. Refrigerate if too soft.
Lock in butter: roll dough into 35x20cm rectangle. Place butter square in center. Fold dough sides over completely, seal all edges.
First fold: roll into 60x20cm. Fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap, refrigerate 30 min. Repeat for 3-4 total folds, chilling 30 min between each.
After final fold, refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
Roll dough to 4-5mm thickness. Cut into triangles with 25cm base. Stretch each gently and roll from base to tip. Curve ends inward.
Brush with egg wash. Proof uncovered at room temperature 3-4 hours until jiggly and nearly doubled.
Brush again with egg wash. Bake 200°C (400°F) for 18-20 minutes until deeply golden brown.
🥐Strawberry Cream Cheese Danish
⏱ 40 min👤 8
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🧺 Ingredients
1 sheet (250g) puff pastry thawed
225g (8 oz) cream cheese softened
3 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
250g fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
2 tbsp strawberry jam
1 tsp sugar
1 egg + 1 tbsp milk for egg wash
Glaze: 60g powdered sugar + 2 tbsp milk
👨🍳 Instructions
Preheat oven 200°C (400°F). Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon zest until smooth. Refrigerate.
Toss strawberries with sugar and jam. Macerate 10 min.
Unfold pastry, roll to 30x25cm. Cut into 8 rectangles.
Score a 1cm border around each rectangle without cutting through. Prick inner rectangle all over with fork.
Brush border with egg wash. Spoon cream cheese mixture in center, spread within scored border.
Arrange strawberry slices over cream cheese. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden and puffed. Cool 10 min.
Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over each danish.
Best served same day while pastry is still crispy.
Make duxelles: cook mushrooms and shallots in butter over medium-high heat 12-15 min until all moisture evaporates and mixture is concentrated. Add garlic and sherry, cook 2 more min. Season well, cool completely.
Sear beef cubes in very hot pan 1 min per side for color. Cool. Brush with Dijon. Season.
Lay prosciutto on plastic wrap. Spread thin layer of duxelles. Place beef at one edge, roll up tightly in prosciutto. Refrigerate 20 min to firm up.
Preheat oven 200°C (400°F). Cut pastry into 16 squares. Wrap each prosciutto bundle in pastry, seal edges firmly. Place seam-side down on parchment-lined sheet.
Brush with egg wash. Score top in crosshatch pattern. Refrigerate 15 min.
Bake 20-22 min until deeply golden and pastry cooked through.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt immediately. Rest 5 min before serving.
Serve with Dijon mustard or horseradish cream for dipping.
Make syrup first: combine sugar, water, honey, cinnamon, cloves. Boil then simmer 10 min. Add lemon juice and rose water. Cool completely — cold syrup on hot baklava is essential for right texture.
Mix chopped nuts with cinnamon, allspice, and sugar. Set aside.
Preheat oven 160°C (325°F). Butter 9x13 pan. Keep phyllo covered with barely damp towel.
Layer 8 phyllo sheets, thoroughly brushing each with butter. Spread one-third of nut mixture evenly. Add 4 buttered sheets. Spread second third of nuts. Add 4 more sheets. Spread final third of nuts. Top with remaining phyllo, buttering each layer.
Cut all the way through in diamond pattern: 4 cuts lengthwise, 6 diagonally. Bake 45-55 min until deep golden brown.
Immediately pour ALL cold syrup over hot baklava. It will sizzle dramatically. Do not move.
Let absorb minimum 4 hours before serving — overnight is better. Keeps at room temperature 2 weeks.
Serve pieces in paper cupcake liners for best presentation.
Laminating butter: 230g cold European unsalted butter
Filling: 200g dark chocolate cut into rectangles
Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk
👨🍳 Instructions
Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt. Add cold milk and egg. Mix until dough forms. Knead 5 min until smooth. Shape into rectangle, wrap, refrigerate 1 hour.
Beat cold butter between parchment into 15x15cm square. Keep very cold.
Roll chilled dough into 30x15cm rectangle. Place butter square in center. Fold dough sides over butter to enclose, sealing all edges.
Roll into 45x15cm. First fold: bottom third up, top third down. Wrap, refrigerate 30 min. Repeat 2 more times for 3 total folds, chilling 30 min between each.
After final chill, roll dough to 4mm thickness. Cut into 10 rectangles about 18x10cm each.
Place 2 chocolate pieces at one short end of each rectangle. Roll up tightly, seam-side down on parchment-lined sheet.
Brush with egg wash. Proof at room temperature 1.5-2 hours until visibly puffed.
Brush again with egg wash. Bake 190°C (375°F) for 18-20 min until deep golden brown with visible layers.