Berry Puffs with Orange Muscat Cream

ingredients

• pastry:
• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 2 1/8 cups package), thawed
• berry puree:
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• orange Muscat cream:
• 2/3 cup Essencia or other orange Muscat dessert wine
• 1/3 cup chilled heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
• berry topping:
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• Confectioners sugar for dusting

directions

Prepare pastry:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Unfold pastry sheet, then turn over (to prevent creases from splitting during baking). Cut 6 (4.5 inch) triangles from sheet with a long sharp knife and a ruler.

Arrange triangles on a greased baking sheet and lightly prick centers a few times with a fork. Bake in middle of oven until puffed and golden brown, 17 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Make puree while pastry bakes:

Stir together cornstarch, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Add berries and sugar and simmer over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up berries, until thickened, 4 minutes. Force puree through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, then cool puree at room temperature.

Make cream:

Boil wine in another small saucepan until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, 11 minutes, then cool.

Beat cream with confectioners sugar and zest in a bowl until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold wine into cream until just incorporated, then chill.

Split each pastry triangle in half horizontally and make a sandwich with about 4 1/2 teaspoons cream. Spread 1 teaspoon puree on top of each pastry, leaving a 0.25 inch border (there will be puree left over). Decoratively arrange some raspberries and blackberries on top and sift some confectioners sugar over berries.

notes:

Berry puree can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Orange Muscat cream can be made 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered.