Almond pastries

Ingredients

• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 T ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 T almond paste
• 1/2 t pure almond extract
• 2 t grated orange zest
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 1 egg beaten

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Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin until it's a 12 by 8-inch rectangle.
• Place the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth.
• With the mixer still on low, add the ricotta and crumble in the almond paste and let the mixer combine them well.
• Then add the almond extract, orange zest and egg yolk and mix on low speed until just combined. Cut the sheet of puff pastry into eight rectangles with a sharp knife.
• Place one heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of 4 of the rectangles.
• Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and then cover it with a free pastry rectangle, pinching the edges together so that they stick together.
• Brush the top of the pastries with the egg wash. Place the pastries on the sheet pan. Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.