I made some super easy chocolate Danish pastries this morning with Jus Rol gluten free puff pastry and a big dollop of Nutella. 😛
They were absolutely delicious and so quick to make. If you’re looking for a simple treat or dessert that you can easily whip up in seconds, then this is it. 🙂
AS A SIDE NOTE:
I often see bad reviews from people on gluten free groups who say that this puff pastry never works for them and doesn’t puff at all.
Now let’s be real, a puff pastry made without both gluten AND butter – literally the two ingredients that puff pastry is made of – is unlikely to ever be the same as the real thing. BUT, having said that, it can still be pretty nice if done properly. 🙂
My tips:
1. Let the pastry sit at room temperature first. It may be tempting to skip that step and just get going, but letting it rest for a good 10-15 minutes makes a big difference in my experience. It gives the pastry a better texture and helps it puff up more.
2. Don’t bake this pastry with ingredients that add too much liquid and moisture. Otherwise it will become soggy and won’t puff up at all. When baked on its own, like in this recipe, it works best and puffs up beautifully.
3. Don’t forget to add egg wash before baking.
4. Don’t overcook it. It’s best not to follow the cooking time of recipes religiously as all ovens vary. Instead keep an eye on your pastries. Once they turn a nice light golden brown, they should be ready.
- Gluten free puff pastry (I used Jus Rol)
- Nutella
- Egg wash (beaten egg with a pinch of salt)
BAKING TIME: 15 mins
Directions
PREPARE THE PASTRIES:
- Let the puff pastry sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before getting started. In my experience it gives the pastry a better texture and helps it puff up. It also prevents it from cracking when you unroll it. But if cracks do happen, it’s ok, just fix them by smudging the pastry with your fingers.
- Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200C (392F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Once the pastry is ready, cut it into squares with a knife or pasta/pizza cutter. Note: here I only made 2 chocolate Danish pastries and kept the rest for another recipe, but the whole pastry sheet should give you 6 small ones.
- Fold each corner over towards the centre, loosely, and gently press in the centre to secure it and create a little pocket in the middle.
BAKE YOUR CHOCOLATE DANISH PASTRIES:
- Transfer them onto the baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Brush a thin layer of beaten egg all over with a pastry brush (or your fingers).
- Bake for about 15 minutes at 200C (392F) on the middle shelf, until puffed up and slightly golden. Note: they may need a couple of minutes extra depending on your oven.
- Taken them out of the oven and let them cool down a bit.
- Then add a dollop of Nutella in the centre. Note: if the centre puffed up too much, it’s ok, just press it back down with your fingers so you have a little pocket to put the Nutella in.
- Optional: you can also add a dusting of icing sugar on top or a drizzle of icing once the pastries have cooled down.
Kimi x
