Chingal0

Berry Puffs with Orange Muscat Cream


For pastry
1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-oz package), thawed

For berry purée
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blackberries
3 tablespoons sugar

For orange Muscat cream
2/3 cup Essencia or other orange Muscat dessert wine
6 tablespoons chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest

For berry topping
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Prepare pastry:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Unfold pastry sheet, then turn over (to prevent creases from splitting during baking). Cut 6 (4 1/2-inch) triangles from sheet with a long sharp knife and a ruler.

Arrange triangles on a greased baking sheet and lightly prick centers a few times with a fork. Bake in middle of oven until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Make purée while pastry bakes:
Stir together cornstarch, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Add berries and sugar and simmer over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up berries, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Force purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, then cool purée at room temperature.

Make cream:
Boil wine in another small saucepan until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 10 to 12 minutes, then cool.

Beat cream with confectioners sugar and zest in a bowl until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold wine into cream until just incorporated, then chill.

Split each pastry triangle in half horizontally and make a sandwich with about 1 1/2 tablespoons cream. Spread 1 teaspoon purée on top of each pastry, leaving a 1/4-inch border (there will be purée left over). Decoratively arrange some raspberries and blackberries on top and sift some confectioners sugar over berries.

Makes 6 servings.

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