Puff Pastry Tomato Tartlets

Ingredients

• 125 g (1 cup*) all-purpose flour
• 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cold
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar/white vinegar or lemon juice
• 40-55g (3-4 Tablespoons) cold water
• 60 g (2oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• A pinch of salt
• Pepper to taste
• 9 cherry tomatoes
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tablespoon water
• Parmesan and fresh thyme to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Begin by chopping the butter into 1inch cubes...: Begin by chopping the butter into 1inch cubes and placing them in the freezer for 5 minutes to ensure it's nice and cold.

2. 2

   To a large bowl add the flour, sugar,...: To a large bowl add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them together. Add the cold cubes of butter to the flour.

3. 3

   Next, use a pastry cutter to roughly cut...: Next, use a pastry cutter to roughly cut the butter into the flour, but not too small. Leave most of the butter in fairly large chunks. If the butter is melting at any point, place the bowl in the refrigerator.

4. 4

   Pour the lemon juice or vinegar over the...: Pour the lemon juice or vinegar over the dough and add the ice-cold water. Secondly, add a tablespoon of water at a time then use a spatula or your hands to combine it into a shaggy dough. Add any extra water in slowly, a tablespoon at a time.

5. 5

   It should hold together easily when pressed but...: It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky. If the dough is super crumbly, add a bit more water. Form the dough into a mound and let it chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. If your room temperature is very cold, you can begin rolling right away.

6. 6

   On a floured work surface, roll the dough...: On a floured work surface, roll the dough with a rolling pin into roughly a 5x10inch rectangle. You will see large chunks of butter in the dough. Dust off any excess flour from the top of the dough.

7. 7

   Fold the bottom third of the dough up...: Fold the bottom third of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top third of the dough over top to make a pamphlet shape. That was Fold 1. Turn the dough a quarter turn and roll it back out into a rectangle and repeat the folding. That was fold 2.

8. 8

   Repeat this process 4 more times so you do...: Repeat this process 4 more times so you do 6 folds in total.

9. 9

   If you are making this on a cold...: If you are making this on a cold day then there is no need for any fridge rest in between the rolling of the layers unless the butter is melting. In the summertime, the rough puff pastry will likely need a fridge rest in between every second fold to ensure the butter stays chilled.

10. 10

    After the last fold, wrap the dough up...: After the last fold, wrap the dough up tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 24.

11. 11

    In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese...: In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in finely chopped garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper, and mix together. Set this aside.

12. 12

    Halve cherry tomatoes or slice large tomatoes. Set...: Halve cherry tomatoes or slice large tomatoes. Set them aside.

13. 13

    Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C. Line a large...: Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C. Line a large baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.

14. 14

    Remove the dough from the fridge and place...: Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a large 10x12 inch rectangle. Cut the dough vertically down the middle, then twice horizontally to make six rectangles. A pizza cutter is very helpful for this.

15. 15

    Use a sharp knife to score a little...: Use a sharp knife to score a little ½ inch border around each rectangle, trying not to cut right through the pastry. Place the puff pastry pieces on the prepared baking sheet.

16. 16

    Spread the cream cheese in the middle of...: Spread the cream cheese in the middle of each rectangle and arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the cream cheese.Whisk together the egg and water to create the egg wash, then use a pastry brush to brush the egg mixture along the border of each pastry.

17. 17

    Bake the pastries for around 18 minutes until...: Bake the pastries for around 18 minutes until deep golden brown and puffed.

18. 18

    Serve the warm pastries topped with finely shaved...: Serve the warm pastries topped with finely shaved parmesan cheese and a little extra fresh thyme.