Serves 6

Almond and apricot cheat’s Danish pastry recipe

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Takes 15 minutes to make, 20-25 minutes in the oven, plus chilling and cooling

375g pack fresh ready-rolled puff pastry, at room temperature
15g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50g butter, at room temperature
50g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
50g ground almonds
Few drops of vanilla extract
3 tbsp apricot jam
8 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
25g dried cranberries
15g flaked almonds, toasted

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1. The night before, unroll the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Cut in half lengthways. Cut a strip of pastry from the end of each piece, about 5cm wide. Place on a non-stick baking tray (that will fit into your freezer, if you’re freezing ahead).
2. Beat together the butter and sugar, until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, lightly beat 1 of the eggs, then gradually mix into the creamed mixture. Fold in the almonds, flour and vanilla extract.
3. Spoon half the almond filling down the length of 1 large piece of pastry, close to 1 long edge. Spoon half the jam alongside the filling. Beat the remaining egg and brush the edges of the pastry. Roll up lengthways. Repeat with the other large piece of pastry, filling and jam.
4. Form the 2 rolls of pastry in a ring on the baking tray, with the ends of 1 tucked slightly into the other. Brush the 2 x 5cm pastry strips with beaten egg and use to seal over where the 2 joins meet. Cover and chill overnight. (To freeze, wrap the tray in cling film and keep frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking). Keep any remaining egg in the fridge to brush over the pastry before baking.
5. The next morning, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until richly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
6. To decorate, mix the icing sugar with 2 teaspoons warm water, until smooth. Drizzle over the pastry and scatter with the dried cranberries and flaked almonds. Leave to set for a few minutes before serving.

Nutritional info

Per serving: 546kcals, 30.5g fat (12.7g saturated), 8.8g protein, 61.4g carbs, 34.4g sugar, 0.7g salt

Almond and apricot cheat’s Danish pastry recipe

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