5 ways to use frozen puff pastry

Ever wonder what to do with the frozen puff pastry you see in the grocery store?  Here I show you a few ideas that will leave your guests, family and friends amazed at your kitchen super powers.  The WOW factor truly is the puff pastry, the rest is assembly and throwing it in the oven.  Remove the frozen puff pastry sheets from the freezer roughly 40 minutes before you want to use it so it can thaw to the point of actually being used. 

Puff Pastry Toaster Pastries

Cut one sheet of puff pastry into six rectangles.  Wet the edge of three with an egg wash, cut vents into the tops of the other three.  Place roughly one, scant 1/4 c. of jam or jelly into the middle of the bottom, place vented top over it and using a fork seal the edges.  Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar.  Bake in a 425 degree, preheated oven for 25 minutes - allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, done!  Repeat using other puff pastry sheet.

Nutella Breakfast Braid

Unroll one puff pastry sheet and slather Nutella all over the middle, leaving 1" edge.  Roll up like you would a cinnamon roll, then cut in half the length of the roll.  Twist both cut rolls now, then place one onto a silpat-lined baking sheet and roll it around itself.  Butt the second half up to the first roll and continue to roll around the circumference of the first.  Bake in a 425 degree, preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, allow to cool for ten minutes, dust with powdered sugar and serve.  Done!

Bacon Straws

Cut one sheet of puff pastry dough into six even strips, and place one piece of thin-sliced bacon on top.  Twist the two together, gently pulling it in length, then attach it to the edges of a long side of a half-sheet pan that has been fitted with a cooling rack inside.  Bake in a 425 degree, preheated oven for 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and brush with a mixture of 1/4 c. maple syrup & 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, using half of the mixture.  Place back into the oven and bake for five more minutes.  Repeat using other half of puff pastry.

Pepper Jam Cheese Bites

Cut one sheet of puff pastry into 12 rectangles.  Mix together one package of room temperature cream cheese and one container of feta cheese.  Put rectangles onto a half sheet pan, and using half of the cheese mixture, slather a tbsp. (roughly) into the center of each rectangle.  Top with a tsp. (roughly) of jalapeno pepper jelly.  Bake in a 425 degree preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  Repeat using other half of puff pastry.

Puff Pastry Pies

Using the puff pastry shells make it look like you spent a day in the kitchen, when you didn't.  Bake off your shells, then fill with citrus curd, top with fresh, whipped cream.