Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Date Published: Dec 14th, 2021 | Last Updated: Dec 14th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: appetizers, snacks, easy, pastry
Serves: 14 curry puffs | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins

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Who doesn’t love a good curry puff??? This super quick and easy version is adapted from Sarah Tiong’s (my favourite Masterchef contestant) recipe. All you need are a few basic ingredients, 10 mins to stir-fry, then wrap it up and bake. Easy!

You can use either thawed pre-made puff pastry dough or make your own rough puff dough.

This recipe is meant to be a quick and easy version of a curry puff. Feel free to add in your own veg or extra seasonings to your liking. Sometimes I like to toss in some cooked diced potatoes and peas with the beef to bulk it up.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
2 Tbsps curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins). Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.

Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.

When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.

Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).

Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.

Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Beef Curry Puffs

Ingredients:

1 small brown onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
250g beef mince (can substitute with pork, chicken, turkey, potatoes and peas)
2 Tbsps curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 puff pastry dough, defrosted and ready to use (store bought or make your own)
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional for decoration)

Directions:

In a skillet on medium-high heat, sautée the garlic and onions in some oil until the onion starts to become translucent (~2mins).
Add in the mince meat and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces and cook until brown and cooked through.
Add in curry powder and stir-fry for another couple minutes then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before wrapping.
When the filling has cooled, roll out your puff pastry dough to a 3-5mm thickness and divide it into squares of equal size. I usually make them about 10cmx10cm squares, but you can make them as big or small as you like.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Place a tablespoon of filling (or more or less depending on your pastry size) in the middle of your square and fold the pastry diagonally in half into a triangle. Crimp the edges together so it seals well. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.
Place the pastry puffs on a baking tray and brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional).
- Tip: alternatively, if you don’t plan on eating them all, you can freeze them at this stage before you put the egg wash on.
Bake at 180˚C for about 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown. Serve!

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Cinnamon Rolls

Date Published: Dec 27th, 2020 | Last Updated: Dec 27th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: dessert
Serves: 12-16 rolls | Prep time: 1hr 30mins | Cook time: 20mins

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A co-worker of mine one day was talking about how her goal over the weekend was to make cinnamon scrolls then raved about how amazing her first Cinnabon experience was in America. We then both agreed how ridiculous it was that Cinnabon decided to open up its first shop in Australia in Brisbane. Not Sydney. Not Melbourne, but Brisbane. Really??? Nothing against Brisbane, but it just seemed like a random place to open their first shop in the country. Our chat had me craving Cinnabon for the rest of the day. Unlike back home in North America, cinnamon rolls are not a common thing to find here – it’s actually near impossible and the only way to have it is to make it yourself (or go to Brisbane). I’ve made this recipe a few times in an attempt to recreate the ones at Cinnabon. It’s not exactly alike, but it’s pretty close! This recipe is adapted originally from All Recipes.

This recipe is not difficult to make, but there are a few steps to it which make the recipe look really lengthy and difficult, but I promise its not. You essentially just need to make the dough, roll it out, spread butter and cinnamon sugar, roll it up, bake it, then spread icing over top.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Dough:
- 2.5 tsps (8g sachet) dry active yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup (76g) melted butter or margarine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (110g) white sugar
- 4.5 cups (720g) flour (bread flour is best, but all purpose flour will do)
Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- 1/3 cup (76g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (230g) packed brown sugar (= 1 Tbsp molasses + 1 cup white sugar)
- 2.5 Tbsps ground cinnamon
Icing:
- 85g (3oz) of cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (55g) butter, softened
- 1.5 cups (195g) confectioner’s/icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt

Directions:

Note the frothiness at the top when the yeast has been activated

Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar. Set this aside for 5-10 mins until it turns frothy.

Mix in eggs, butter, salt and sugar to the bowl. Add the flour in gradually until you get a smooth dough and knead it into a ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl covered with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size (~1hr). (Don’t have a warm place? Click here to see how I proof my dough in the oven).

While the dough is proofing, make the cinnamon and brown sugar mix by mixing the two together. Set aside.

Assemble the roll: After the dough has doubled it size, knead it out on a lightly floured surface to get the air pockets out. Divide the dough in half.

Using a rolling pin, roll out one dough ball into a square until you get a rectangle about 2-3mm thick.

Spread half the softened butter over the dough and then sprinkle half of the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture on top. Use your rolling pin to lightly roll over the dough so the cinnamon sugar is gently pressed in.

Roll up the dough semi-tightly from left to right so you’re left with one long roll. If you find the centre of your roll thicker than the edges, gently roll it out until it is roughly the same thickness. Cut up the dough into even 3cm thicknesses and place on a lined baking tray. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

Bake the rolls: Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F). While the oven is warming up, cover the rolls with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place until the oven is ready. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown (~15-20 minutes).

Make the icing: While rolls are baking, combine all the icing ingredients in a large mixing bowl: cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt.

Finish it off: Once the rolls are cooked, flip each roll upside down so the gooey cinnamon filling re-coats the inside. Spoon any extra melted filling over the buns. While the rolls are still hot, spread half the icing over the rolls. Once rolls are cooled, spread the other half of the icing over them. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes:

You can freeze the uncooked dough quite well and bake them separately for a quick snack or freeze them cooked and microwave when ready to eat.
Keep in an air tight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or in the fridge if longer or in warm humid conditions.

Summarized Recipe:

Cinnamon Rolls

Date Published: Dec 27th, 2020 | Last Updated: Dec 27th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: dessert
Serves: 12-16 rolls | Prep time: 1hr 30mins | Cook time: 20mins

Ingredients:

Dough:
- 2.5 tsps (8g sachet) dry active yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup (76g) melted butter or margarine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (110g) white sugar
- 4.5 cups (720g) flour (bread flour is best, but all purpose flour will do)
Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- 1/3 cup (76g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (230g) packed brown sugar (= 1 Tbsp molasses + 1 cup white sugar)
- 2.5 Tbsps ground cinnamon
Icing:
- 85g (3oz) of cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (55g) butter, softened
- 1.5 cups (195g) confectioner’s/icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt

Directions:

Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm milk with 1 tsp sugar. Set this aside for 5-10 mins until it turns frothy.
Mix in eggs, butter, salt and sugar to the bowl. Add the flour in gradually until you get a smooth dough and knead it into a ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl covered with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size (~1hr). (Don’t have a warm place? Click here to see how I proof my dough in the oven).
While the dough is proofing, make the cinnamon and brown sugar mix by mixing the two together. Set aside.
Assemble the roll: After the dough has doubled it size, knead it out on a lightly floured surface to get the air pockets out. Divide the dough in half. Using a rolling pin, roll out one dough ball into a square until you get a rectangle about 2-3mm thick.
Spread half the softened butter over the dough and then sprinkle half of the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture on top. Use your rolling pin to lightly roll over the dough so the cinnamon sugar is gently pressed in.
Roll up the dough semi-tightly from left to right so you’re left with one long roll. If you find the centre of your roll thicker than the edges, gently roll it out until it is roughly the same thickness. Cut up the dough into even 3cm thicknesses and place on a lined baking tray. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Bake the rolls: Preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F). While the oven is warming up, cover the rolls with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm place until the oven is ready. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown (~15-20 minutes).
Make the icing: While rolls are baking, combine all the icing ingredients in a large mixing bowl: cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt.
Finish it off: Once the rolls are cooked, flip each roll upside down so the gooey cinnamon filling re-coats the inside. Spoon any extra melted filling over the buns. While the rolls are still hot, spread half the icing over the rolls. Once rolls are cooled, spread the other half of the icing over them. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes:

You can freeze the uncooked dough quite well and bake them separately for a quick snack or freeze them cooked and microwave when ready to eat.
Keep in an air tight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or in the fridge if longer or in warm humid conditions.

December 27, 2020December 27, 2020

AbbyLeave a comment

Rough Puff (Easy Puff Pastry)

Date Published: July 29th, 2020 | Last Updated: July 29th, 2020
Author: Abby |Category: pastry, how-to
Serves: 1 sheet of puff pastry | Prep time: 5 mins | Make time: 50 mins

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Get ready to have your world changed with this easy puff pastry recipe. If you don’t know what puff pastry is, it’s a flaky buttery dough that’s commonly used in pastries such as danishes, turnovers, tarts…etc. The traditional way to make this dough takes effort and time which is why a lot of people commonly buy the pre-made frozen dough from grocery stores. It’s great to keep in the freezer for a quick dessert or snack. There are SO MANY things you can make with puff pastry. I love using it to make spanakopita, curry puffs and cherry cheese danishes (all of which are on my to-do list of recipes to write up). Once you learn how to make puff pastry, you’ll unlock a world of possibilities!

In Australia, especially in country towns, puff pastry isn’t always easy to find which led me to try and make it myself. This puff pastry dough is a rough and easy version (hence the name “rough puff”) that yields fantastic flaky buttery results. All you need is 4 basic ingredients that you most likely already have in your fridge.

Like a croissant, in order to get buttery flaky layers, you need butter and you need to keep it in layers within the dough rather than have it combined together. Therefore, the key to a flaky puff pastry is to keep everything cold so the butter doesn’t melt into the dough. We’ll be using cold butter, cold water and lots of fridge time. This dough is easy to make, but make sure you keep everything cold and don’t overwork the dough to keep the buttery layers.

You can watch the video below to guide you through the recipe.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 cups (288g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
250g cold unsalted butter (NOT softened!)
1/2 cup (125ml) cold water

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and cold butter cubes.

Use a spatula to mix it all together and coat the butter in flour.

Add cold water to the mixture.

Mix the ingredients until you get a thick mixture of clumpy flour and butter (pictured above).

Turn out this mixture on a lightly floured surface and knead a few times with your hands until you get a rough thick dough (1-2 mins). Do NOT overmix! You want there to be flecks or small chunks of butter in your ball. This is what makes your pastry flaky. If your dough is all one colour, you’ve kneaded it too much! Gather your dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

After 20mins, roll out your dough on a floured surface into a rough rectangle shape. You should have a marbled effect in the dough (see photo above).

Fold the top third of the dough down and the bottom third up (like a letter). Then turn the dough 90 degrees, roll it out in an up and down direction (not side to side) and fold it into thirds again. Repeat rolling and folding the dough another 3 times. Remember to always stick with one direction of rolling so the butter doesn’t become too incorporated into the dough. If this sounds confusing, check out my video tutorial below.

Try to do the rolling step relatively quickly because you don’t want the butter in the dough to melt while rolling. If melting, put it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up then continue rolling.

After you’ve finished working with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for another 20mins or overnight.

Ready to use for your recipe! (When you use the recipe, you don’t need to unfold the dough, just roll it out.)

Watch the Video Tutorial!

Summarized Recipe:

Rough Puff (Easy Puff Pastry)

Ingredients:

2 cups (288g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
250g cold unsalted butter (NOT softened!)
1/2 cup (125ml) cold water

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and cold butter cubes. Use a spatula to mix it all together and coat the butter in flour.
Add cold water to the mixture and mix the ingredients until you get a thick mixture of clumpy flour and butter (pictured above).
Turn out this mixture on a lightly floured surface and knead a few times with your hands until you get a rough thick dough (1-2 mins). Do NOT overmix! You want there to be flecks or small chunks of butter in your ball. Gather your dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
After 20mins, roll out your dough on a floured surface into a rough rectangle shape. You should have a marbled effect in the dough (see photo above). Fold the top third of the dough down and the bottom third up (like a letter). Then turn the dough 90 degrees, roll it out in an up and down direction (not side to side) and fold it into thirds again. Repeat rolling and folding the dough another 3 times. Remember to always stick with one direction of rolling so the butter doesn’t become too incorporated into the dough.
- Try to do the rolling step relatively quickly because you don’t want the butter in the dough to melt while rolling. If melting, put it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up then continue rolling.
After you’ve finished working with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for another 20mins or overnight.
Ready to use for your recipe! (When you use the recipe, you don’t need to unfold the dough, just roll it out.)

July 29, 2020July 29, 2020

Abby1 Comment