Quick & fluffy raspberry pastries

For ➍
4 sheets frozen puff pastry (12 x 12 cm), thawed
30 cl cream at room temperature
1 tbs powdered sugar
1 cup raspberries/strawberries
zest of 1 lime & 1 lemon
juice of ½ lemon

Preheat oven at 220°C.

Cut your dough into 2 pieces and place on a buttered baking sheet or silicone mat.

Cover with butter paper and baking beans so the dough can not arise. Put 8 m in the oven.

Remove the cakes from the oven, remove the paper and baking beans. Put the pastries in the oven for 3-4 m to brown. Let cool.

Whip the cream with the sugar. When the cream is pretty stiff, add the zest and juice. Stir gently.

With a nozzled pastry bag, spread the cream on the pastries. On the edges build a second layer of cream.

Put 4-5 raspberries/strawberries in the middle and dust with powdered sugar.

Pâte levée

For ➊ tart
200 g flour
1 egg yolk
1 pinch of salt
1 tbs sugar
15 g yeast
10 cl milk
30 g butter, all at room temperature

Mix all ingredients into a large ball. Cover, and let the yeast do its work for 20-30 m at room temperature.

Roll out and line a buttered pan with the dough. Prick some holes with a fork. Leave to work for 10 m before adding filling.

A light dough using yeast to leaven the pastry for a lighter crust. It is used in the North of France for pies.
Use f.i. in Belgian rice tart.

Pâte feuilleté (puff pastry)

For ➊ pie
225 g plain flour
pinch of salt
30 g lard
15 cl cold water
150 g butter

Sift together the flour and the salt and rub in the lard. Stir in enough of the water to make a soft dough, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20 m. Put the butter between 2 pieces of greaseproof paper and flatten out with a rolling pin until it is a rectangle 10 x 7.5 cm. Roll out the dough to another rectangle of 12.5 x 25 cm.
Take the butter out of the paper and put on the dough rectangle. Bring the corners of the dough together to make an envelope. Chill for 10 m.
Roll out the envelope on a floured surface to make a rectangle that is 3 times longer than it is wide. Fold one third into the middle and then the other third on top. Seal the edges lightly with a rolling pin and turn the pastry 90 degrees.
Repeat stage 5 and chill for 30 m.
Repeat this rolling and folding twice more and then chill for another 30 m and then do 2 more.
Now roll out and use as required.

This pâte feuilleté is quite elaborate and time-consuming to make. Adapt the taste to sweet or salty uses.
Most of the times, ready-made puff pastry will do.