cherry chocolate cruffins with random acts of pastel
2017 has been a big year for Bobby and me, welcoming our son Forrest last July. Sharing our first holiday season with him has been a joy neither one of us expected, breathing new life into old childhood traditions and motivating us to introduce him to all of the warm, cozy feelings of holiday memories.
Of course, nothing goes together quite like the holidays, family, and baking. Our dear friend Alyssa (from Random Acts of Pastel) has become an honorary auntie to Forrest, taking her role quite seriously indeed! It truly warms our hearts to see these two together...Alyssa, all pink and glitter, bouncing him around the apartment as she goes about her pastel magic (in matching t-shirts, of course!) The connection they share is as sweet as can be, it only seemed fitting to start a new holiday baking tradition together.
Because the holidays should be about spending time together in the kitchen, rather than offering up a completely made-from-scratch recipe we’ve dreamt up an easy peasy jam filled cruffin that’s really more of an assembly project rather than a "recipe." Kid-friendly and time-saving, leaving time for the important things like cuddling your loved ones - fur babies, human babies, or both!
Cherry Chocolate Jam Cruffins
Ingredients:
1 jar of Kitten and the Bear jam (we used Dark Cherry, Plum & Cocoa and Winter Cranberry two have two varieties)
1 box of Tenderflake classic puff pastry or rolled puff pastry sheets
2 tbsp soft butter
2 tbsp icing sugar (for dusting)
1 tbsp flour
Method:
1. Thaw pastry according to the directions on the package (either in the fridge overnight, or 2 hours at room temperature.)
2. Preheat your oven to 375 F
3. If you are using classic Tenderflake pastry, roll each brick out on a floured surface to about 12”x12” (give or take...it doesn’t have to be exact). If you are using the rolled sheets, use as-is!
4. Brush soft butter evenly across the pastry, then apply the jam in a thin, even layer.
5. Slice the sheet down the center to create two long rectangles, then roll each rectangle up into a cigar shape.
6. Cut each cigar in half lengthwise using a floured knife to expose the layers of pastry and jam.
7. With the cut side facing outwards, twist each piece into a loose rosette shape and place into a non-stick muffin tin.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown, checking midway and rotating the tray if necessary.
9. Run a small knife around each cruffin to dislodge the pastry from the tin. It’s much easier to do this when the jam is still hot.
10. Allow to cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
