Chef Scott Franqueza and pastry chef April Franquez, the husband-and-wife team behind High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, North Carolina, are stopping by the TODAY kitchen to show us how to prepare homemade puff pastry and use it to make two terrific recipes for Valentine's Day. They turn flaky, buttery puff pastry into rich, meaty beef Wellingtons and delicate, jammy palmiers.
This recipe might seem like a long process, but don't be discouraged! It is certainly worth the effort. We make this dish every year for our anniversary with venison and it is our absolute favorite. The duxelles is the secret to the luxurious flavor of this dish. It is a finely chopped mixture filled with mushrooms, shallots and garlic sauteed in butter. It is very fragrant and flavorful, and cooked down so much that it almost becomes a paste.
The mesmerizing swirls of these classic French pastries are easier to make than you think. With some strategic rolling, chilling and slicing, homemade palmiers can be just as stunning as they are in the display case of a fancy patisserie.
If you like those puff pastry recipes, you should also try these:
