Mini fig pastry

'You people only have A no B' (leaving me no option) is what I always say to my husband every time I'm pushed to a dead end. Even only one person making a mistake, his/her whole circle or nation of people are to be blamed. I'm bad I know...

Now I'm preparing a menu for Easter - as per request, no coffee, no tea, no soda, no bread, no potato, no red meat; fine, doing nothing is easy. One guest was informed to bring over a dessert, but I'm shock to hear her 'no' (she doesn't take white sugar). Hey, the dessert is for everybody! I told my husband I actually preferred going to restaurant then. But he said it wasn't his/their tradition. See, only A no B! Ok, I have my b - my blog, am going to brine myself in sugar for whole week until Easter! Recipe (yield about 30 mini-pastries)

*for the dough's recipe, adapted from Sweet Miniatures by Flo Braker*

For the filling*: prepare 1 1/2 cups, recipe please see here

For the cream cheese pastry dough*:

• 1 1/8 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 Tbp sugar
• a bit of grated lemon zest (only use organic, non-organic tastes bitter)
• a pinch of salt
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 ounces cream cheese, cut into small cubes
• 1 egg for egg wash
• Poppy seeds as garnish

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt to combine. Use a pastry blender to cut butter into flour until the mixture has the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Combine it with cream cheese, knead briefly if necessary. Flatten the dough, wrap, refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Slightly flour the work table, roll dough to a rectangle (we aim to 14.5 x 11.5-inch). It's ok if it can't spread that far, the dough needs to rest anyway, will roll it more later. Resting is essential, it yields a tender crust. Wrap well, rest for another 2 hours.
• After you get the size, trim the four sides of the rectangle, egg wash, divide into three strips, cut in lengthwise.
• Take out one strip, spread the filling, but leave one third (lengthwise) and both ends (about 1/2 inch) unfilled. Lengthwise, fold the unfilled third over half the filling, then fold again. Press the both ends, seam-side down. Proceed to repeat the other two strips.
• Pre-heat oven to 375F
• Transfer the three logs on a large baking sheet, gently shape them with fingers. Egg wash. Bake them for 12 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake until golden brown (mine took another 10 minutes).
• Place the logs on the parchment paper to a wire rack until cool. Using a sharp knife cut diagonally into smaller slices.

My notes:

• Flo Baker uses filling made with dry fruit, e.g. currants. Process them with butter, sugar and honey.

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