Almond bars

At Van der Pol, we have developed a unique puff pastry: Extra Tolerant Puff Pastry. This dough is produced using the traditional French method. It consists of 192 layers and is made with a specific plastic butter. Together with several trusted ingredients, this creates a multifunctional puff pastry with a delicious buttery taste and aroma. This allows the baker to truly stand out in their craft.

Ingredients

  • VDP puff pastry extra tolerant

  • Pastry cream (spijs filling)

  • Egg

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Puff Pastry

Baking Advice

30 minutes at 195°C

Preparation

1. Allow the dough to thaw slowly, preferably in the refrigerator. Make sure the dough is completely free of frost. Start by rolling out the dough; while doing so, rotate it several times a quarter turn to minimize shrinkage. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1.75 mm. When rolling in the almond paste, ensure that the puff pastry sheet is slightly moist (not too moist, as this can cause blistering and tearing).

2. Roll the sticks in such a way that the dough overlaps by 2 to 3 cm. When the stick is rolled correctly, you should be able to feel the seam at the back with your thumb. Neatly seal the sides. Fold the dough inward four times, folding it onto itself, to create a neat and firm seal. Always pay close attention to the seam. Ensure sufficient resting time.

3. Place the sticks on a baking tray and make sure the seam is positioned straight. Once the seam is straight, gently press over the stick with the palm/mouse of your hand so that it slightly tilts forward, while keeping the seam in the same position. Brush the sticks with egg wash made of 2 parts whole egg and 1 part egg yolk (this gives a richer color). Brush as much as possible in the direction of the seam, but do not brush over the seam itself, as this will negatively affect baking.

4. Allow the sticks to rest for at least 30 minutes, so that any tension in the dough can relax and the egg wash can dry. Preferably, use a hot oven and brush the sticks a second time. Once the sticks have been brushed for the second time, they should be placed in the oven as quickly as possible.

5. Preferably bake in the first phase at a higher temperature (235°C), then reduce the temperature (195°C). Bake the sticks for between 22 and a maximum of 30 minutes.

Tip!

  • Make sure the ambient temperature is not too high.
  • Ensure a clean work surface. Working neatly and cleanly makes processing the dough more enjoyable.
  • For a perfect ratio, use 175 grams of filling to 100 grams of dough.
  • Dark edges are often caused by a non-ideal baking temperature in combination with baking time.
  • Always allow the sticks to cool properly before packaging.