Countdown to Easter: 2 Simply Parfait Pastry Recipes to Try
The grass is growing and the days are getting longer. Spring arrives this weekend and the long, dark, drizzly days of Seattle winter are over! In just a few short weeks Easter will be upon us and the droves of hungry Seattleites coming out of hibernation will be cramming for a coveted Easter Brunch reservation. With Easter menu planning in full swing along with the blooming trees, here are two recipes with a French nod to the milestones of the Easter countdown: Palm Sunday and Good Friday.
The palmier or Coeur de France (Heart of France) is a light, crispy and slightly sweet cookie made from folded puff pastry dough originating from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in France. Its palm frond shape gives it its name and makes it particularly appropriate for a nod to Palm Sunday, the moveable feast that occurs one week before Easter Sunday. Our carefully laminated puff pastry dough keeps the layers light and numerous, and the delightful sweetness keeps this recipe close to our hearts in any season. And getting that perfect palm shape is even easier than you think! Palm Sunday is March 29th.
Check out our tutorial below:
How To Fold The Perfect Palmier
Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns have been a Good Friday tradition in England since the 17th Century, but for many of us on this side of the pond, it may only be the nursery rhyme we remember. While not standard fare for Good Friday in most regions of France either, it turns out English Hot Cross Buns have a French counterpart: Brioche du Carême. Carême is French for “Lent” keeping these just as seasonally appropriate for an Easter-themed menu even if you aren’t in England, come April 3rd. Thus, we’re honoring our French affinities with our own take on these deliciously spiced, sweet, current rolls made with LBA’s rich, eggy, buttery and thoroughly French brioche dough. Our real brioche is so loaded with whole eggs, who needs the painted variety? Get the recipe here:
For every 12 buns:
- 24 oz thawed LBA Brioche dough – sheets or bulk
- ½ cup currants-hydrate in warm water, pat dry with paper towel
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sprinkle the spices over the hydrated currants. Sprinkle the currants over half the brioche dough and fold over dough to incorporate. Pull off 2 oz balls of doughs and round out. Pan up on parchment lined tray allowing 2” of space on all sides of rolls. Allow to rise at room temperature or in a proof box (under 90 degrees in heat) until nearly tripled in size. Cover lightly with plastic wrap if proofing at room temperature-the rise may take several hours. Do not over proof. Bake at 320 degree convection oven for approximately 12 minutes, until firm to the touch and light golden brown. Frost with a cross on top when cool. Will last two days after baked, or can be frozen and reheated after thawing at 325 degrees for 3 minutes.