Alien Palmiers-Halloween Puff Pastry Treats

It's been a busy season and I barely had time to whip up anything for my favorite holiday of the year- Halloween. These are absolutely scrumptious and can be made anytime of the year but with the addition of green food coloring and candy eyes they make delicious aliens Halloween snacks.

Ingredients:
1-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste cut into slices
1/2 cup sugar plus more for dusting
1-17.03 oz box frozen Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, thawed
Sparkling sugar
Egg
Candy eyes (medium and/or varied in size)
Optional: green food coloring
Powdered ginger, cinnamon and cardamom

Directions:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Remove one pastry sheet from the box and let sit on counter for 10 minutes.
Keep the other sheet in refrigerator.

Add the sliced almond paste and ½ cup sugar to food processor.
For green, add a bit of green food coloring at this time.
For light spices – add a 1/2 teaspoon each powdered ginger, cinnamon and cardamom.

Process until the mix is the texture of sand.

Makes about 2 cups almond sugar.

Dust the counter with granulated sugar and unfold one pastry sheet.

Roll out to 11" X 15" with the long side, horizontal to counter.

Brush the surface with a scrambled egg.

Scribe a line in the center of the pastry then roll the sides of pastry sheet to meet in middle.

Sprinkle the dough evenly with 1 cup of almond sugar mixture.
Tightly roll each side so both rolls of pastry sheet touch on the scribe line.

Roll in plastic and place in freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry.

Cut pastry into ¾” slices with a sharp knife.

Dip one side of each piece into the sparkling sugar and lay flat, sugar side up, onto parchment paper.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Immediately (and carefully) add candy eyes after removing the pan from oven.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

Yummy Mummy Apple Pie

This pastry is ridiculously easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients:

Pepperidge Farm puff pastry (in the freezer section of the grocery store)
1 Apple

Sugar

Corn starch

Cinnamon

Salt 
2 Candy eyes 

Let one sheet of puff pastry sit on the counter for 15 minutes and go do something else.

When the timer goes off set it a second time for 15 minutes and start working:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Mix 2 Tbs. sugar, 1 tsp. corn starch, 1 tsp. cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Peel, core and slice one apple.

4. Add the apple to the sugar mix and coat all the slices.

 

5. Crack an egg and separate the white (cook up the yolk for your dog if you have one).
6. When the timer goes off, unfold the puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper.  

7. Lay the apples slices in the middle of the PP sheet starting an inch below the top edge and ending an inch above the bottom edge.

8. Make slanted slices on other sides of the PP. Fold them over - alternating strips. Trim the top and bottom sides free of excess dough.

9. Transfer the parchment paper with the mummy to a baking pan.

10. Brush the top with the egg white.

11. Bake for 15 min. then lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake for 15 min. more or until the top is golden brown.

12. Remove and allow to cool before inserting 2 candy eyes.