Lavender Honey Puff Pockets

Lavender Honey Puff Pockets: A Sweet Treat for Any Occasion – Baked Twist

Ingredients:

250g puff pastry

100ml heavy cream

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp dried lavender

1 egg white (for egg washing)

The Baking Experience:

        I was very excited to try this new recipe, especially because I had never baked with lavender before. I made the wise decision to prepare these treats before bed, and as the puffs baked, the calming scent of lavender filled my home. By the time they were finished, everyone in the house was feeling very tired and ready to turn in for the evening.

        I began by following the instructions from the website linked above in red. First, I preheated the oven to 400°F. While it was heating, I took the store-bought puff pastry from the refrigerator and cut it into nine squares, each approximately 10 cm by 10 cm.

        Next, I prepared the filling by whisking together the lavender, honey, and heavy cream. I placed about 3/4 of a spoonful of the lavender-honey cream in the center of each pastry square, then folded the dough over and sealed the edges by pressing them together with a fork. I placed the puffs on a pizza sheet, brushed the tops with egg wash, and baked them for 15 minutes, until they were golden brown.

        In hindsight, I wish I had lined the cookie sheet with parchment paper for two reasons. First, the pastry dough stuck to the pizza sheet. Second, the puffs expanded more than expected, causing some of the cream to drizzle out and bake onto the pizza sheet, which made them stick even more.

        I made two batches and initially thought I may have overbaked the first one, which could have caused the pastries to expand and the filling to spill out. However, the second batch had the same issue: the edges began opening after only about five minutes in the oven, before the pastries were fully baked. As a result, my puffs did not have the creamy center pictured on the original website.

        Even so, they smelled and tasted wonderful. The pastry was perfectly flaky, and the lavender-honey cream still provided a beautifully balanced flavor. If anyone has tips for keeping the pastry edges sealed during baking so the cream stays in the center, I would love to hear them. Overall, these are a lovely treat for winding down in the evening, and they pair perfectly with a cup of tea.