Strain the syrup into iced lemonade---bottled Simply Lemonade is good. Add a mint leaf.
Strain the syrup into iced lemonade---bottled Simply Lemonade is good. Add a mint leaf.
Almond Raspberry Muffins
PREP 140g cold unsalted butter, chopped into sugar-cube-sized pieces.
FRENCH PASTRY measure 75ml just-warm water, add/stir/dissolve tsp fast-action yeast. Measure 75ml ice-cold water add tsp lemon juice. Mix 225g strong white flour, sifted, 25g golden caster superfine sugar, 1/2 tsp fine salt, then toss w/ cubes of butter until flour-coated. Splash w/ yeast water and lemon water. W/ round-bladed knife, work quickly to bring to a rough dough with lumps of butter held inside. Shape on floured work surface into squat rectangle without kneading too much, then saran/chill 15 mins in freezer.
Roll in one direction on flour 3 times long as it is wide, or about 45 x 15cm; keep sides straight, top and bottom edges as square as possible. Fold pastry over itself. Fold bottom third up, then top third down, into neat block.
Turn block so that open edge faces right, like a book. Press edges together gently w/ rolling pin. Roll out/fold 3 more times to a smooth dough, w/ streak of butter here and there. If it feels greasy, or becomes springy, cover/chill 10 min. Wrap finished dough; chill an hr. Put dough on floured work surface; half at middle; fridge one half. Roll the other to 30 x 20cm rectangle, then cut 3 strips, each 10cm wide. To create even more layers, fold each piece in half lengthways.
ASSEMBLY Put generous tea Filling at one end, then roll pastry into spiral. Place, cut-edge up, into 6 muffin tin. Loosely saran. Can be chilled overnight. (freeze leftover filling). Proof dough at cool room temp 2 hrs--til pastry fills tin.
Bake 350 deg 20-25 min til risen and deep golden brown; cool a bit on rack.
GARNISH W/ chef’s squeeze bottle filled w/ few tb seedless raspberry jam, push nozzle into middles and squeeze.
SERVE Dusted w/ conf; eat cooled.
FILLING beat 50g ea sweet butter, superfine caster sugar, grnd almonds, tsp flour, droplets almond extract, egg yolk; add pinch salt.
CAN DO AHEAD but warm dough on counter before baking.