What are the secrets to using puff pastry?

Puff pastry is easy to use! It is stored in the freezer but you'll need to thaw it before using. If you're rolling it out, you'll want to lightly flour your surface and don't roll it too thin. You'll also want to be careful unrolling the puff pastry and when cutting, use a sharp knife and cut straight down not at an angle for the best layers.

Should you poke puff pastry?

When it bakes, puff pastry will puff up quite a bit. If you want it to stay thinner, you can poke it with a fork before baking so that the steam can escape.

Do you egg wash puff pastry?

To get that shiny and golden top, you'll want to brush puff pastry with an egg wash before baking.

Puff Pastry Xmas Tree | Kathleen's Cravings

Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Make an easy Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with just THREE ingredients - store-bought puff pastry, Nutella, and an egg for the egg wash! Dust with powdered sugar for a snowy effect. Buttery, flaky, and a holiday party ready presentation.

Author: Kathleen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry, thawed
3 tablespoons Nutella
1 egg yolk
Powdered Sugar, optional for dusting

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Instructions

Prep - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Cut Tree - Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheets into two large rectangles (about 10-11x13 inches) and cut both into the shape of a Christmas tree. I like to use a star cookie cutter to cut out two stars from the scraps.
Spread Nutella - Spread the Nutella on top of one of the trees and a little over one of the stars. Layer the second tree and star over the Nutella. Press the star piece on top of the tree.
Cut Branches and Twist - Cut slits on both sides going up the tree - about an inch apart leaving the middle of the tree intact. Twist each strip of layered puff pastry - twist twice if you can.
Brush with Egg Wash - In a small bowl whisk up the egg yolk with about a teaspoon or two of water. Brush the tree with the egg wash.
Bake - Bake in the preheated oven for 13-18 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up.
Serve - Let the tree cool for 5-10 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar and serving.

Notes

Warm Nutella - If you're having a hard time spreading the Nutella, you can warm it for just a few seconds in the microwave.

Thaw Puff Pastry - You will buy the puff pastry in the freezer section of your grocery store and store in your freezer until ready to use, but it needs to be thawed in order to roll out and use.

Roll out Puff Pastry - You want to roll our the puff pastry sheets into two large rectangles. This helps keep the pastry from puffing up too much and rising too high.

Twist the Branches Twice - Doing this helps prevent them from unraveling when baking and makes the 'twist' more pronounced. This is hard to do with the top super short branches, but make sure to do it for the lower branches.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of tree
Calories: 301
Sugar: 4.3 g
Sodium: 120.1 mg
Fat: 20.5 g
Trans Fat:
Carbohydrates: 25.4 g
Fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 4.1 g
Cholesterol: 24 mg

Keywords: Nutella Puff pastry tree, puff pastry holiday recipe, puff pastry Christmas recipe, puff pastry Nutella tree

Find it online: https://kathleenscravings.com/puff-pastry-christmas-tree/