Continuing on to week five of my pastry training, we continued working with puff pastry, both in making different products, but also alternative ways to make the pastry dough itself – who knew there was a difference between “German”, “French” and “Brazilian” puff pastries? Not to mention “Quick”….

Roberto demonstrating how to make Brazilian puff pastry (a variation on French puff pastry, with the butter/margarine on the outside rather than inside of the dough).

This actually came later in the class when he demonstrated how to make a milhojas, a local cake made from the leftover scraps of puff pastry dough from making other things, melded together, rolled out into a big sheet, baked, cut into discs, and piled up with dulce de leche between the discs, more on top, then chopped up bits of the pastry piled atop and dusted heavily with powdered sugar. It’s actually, surprisingly, pretty good, me not being a huge dulce de leche fan.

My production work of facturas, the little pastries that everyone down here nibbles on with mate or coffee.

And, after they cooled, filling those that it was appropriate to fill, with pastry cream, fruit, dusting with sugar, etc.

My absolutely favorite pastry in the world is the Italian sfogliatelle – shell or cone shaped pastries that have these wonderful layers and ridges. These are not easy to make and I’ve always wanted to learn how. I have to say that for my first attempt, I was pleased with the results!

And I only brought home half of what I made – still far more than Henry and I need to be eating – we gave most away to our building staff to have with their mate and coffee. I did keep a couple of sfogliatelle to have with mine…and look for them in a couple of upcoming dinners.