To be honest, I was skeptical about these.
I didn't know what to expect, and they sort of sounded more like little turnovers or something rather than cookies.
And they still seem like that to me.
But I don't care. They're delicious, addictive little treats, and the portion I baked this afternoon are nearly gone.
Oh no, I'm not the only one who ate them. My son and my husband ate their share as well. The only one who isn't as obsessed with them, you may have guessed, is Julia. She had one. And didn't demand any more. Weird child, that one.
Anyway.
I made the dough this morning. I should have made it last night, but I was, frankly, too lazy.
The dough was simple to throw together - I put the softened butter, the sugar, and the salt in my food processor...then added the cottage cheese and vanilla and processed some more...
Then I added the flour...
And when the flour was just incorporated, I dumped the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap...
I wrapped the dough in the plastic, pressed it into a sort of rectangle-ish shape, and put it in the fridge.
After the kids were home from school, I took the dough out and cut it into thirds. I'd read in the P&Q section of the TWD site that the dough warmed up and became very sticky and hard to work with rather quickly, so I figured if I worked with less than half at a time, maybe I'd be okay.
I confess, I rushed.
I didn't cut nice squares. I cut squarish rectangles in assorted sizes. And, since they wouldn't make very attractive triangles if I folded a corner over to meet the opposite corner, I made even more rectangley rectangles.
I filled some with strawberry-rhubarb jam, and some with blueberry.
Then I put them back in the fridge for around twenty minutes before popping them in the oven.
I don't know if there's something up with my oven, but these were not a lovely golden color after ten OR twelve minutes. Mine took about 17 minutes.
Maybe the oven temp isn't accurate...have to check that tomorrow.
When they finally came out of the oven, they were a lovely color and they smelled wonderful.
Alex's nose led him to the kitchen within nanoseconds of the little pufflets coming out of the oven. I had to chase him away until they were cool enough to eat.
I was particularly pleased to see that the dough had actually puffed up nicely. Just like it was supposed to!
I carefully moved the pufflets from the baking sheet onto a rack and dusted them heavily with confectioners' sugar.
Within moments, Alex was back. Begging.
I gave him two (of the less attractive pufflets, since I needed the prettiest ones for a picture) - one for him and one for Bill, who was downstairs. I brought one in to Julia, who was taking a bath.
And I had one.
Light and soft and flaky and jammy. Very nice - they'd probably be very good with a cup of tea.
Before I even had time to set up a picture, Alex was back.
"MOM! That was the most DELICIOUS dessert thing you've EVER made! I LOVED it!"
"Can I PLEEEEEEEEEASE have another one?"
And how could I resist that face?
I sent him off with two more (again, one for Bill, too) and put a few on a plate so I could take my pictures done before Alex showed up again.
Many thanks to Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes for picking this delightful recipe for this week! And of course, many thanks to Dorie for sharing it with us all.
You can find the recipe on Jacque's site or in Dorie's Baking: From My Home to Yours.
And you can check out how all the other TWD bakers fared this week as well by visiting the blogroll here.
Oh, and a little tip for you. If you see a little bit of confectioners' sugar on the plate while you're taking your final pictures? And you're tempted to blow that speck of sugar off the plate because that seems like the quickest and easiest route to take?
Don't.
It won't help.
Those look perfect. Nice and flaky and delicious. Glad they turned out so well for you.
These were good, but I don't think I will make it again.
Posted by: Margaret | September 22, 2009 at 08:16 PM
You may have been feeling a little bit lazy, but I was TOO lazy to even try these out. I think that's quite a compliment from your soon, too! Thanks for the tip about NOT blowing the powdered sugar! :-)
Posted by: pamela | September 22, 2009 at 08:52 PM
Loved reading your blog about these. Laughed out loud at the end. I had to bake mine more than 12 minutes too. Think I ended up going for about 15 before they were golden. Yours look great!
Posted by: Susan | September 22, 2009 at 09:49 PM
These look quite yummy! I don't like cottage cheese, but this looks like you can't taste it or recognize it.
Posted by: Da Goddess | September 23, 2009 at 01:04 AM
I have been waiting for you to post a recipe I can incorporate Guava paste into and I think this is it. Thanks!
Posted by: jomamma | September 23, 2009 at 06:15 AM
It's true - I couldn't taste cottage cheese, and since it was pureed along with the butter, there was no curdy evidence, either.
Posted by: Jayne | September 23, 2009 at 07:05 AM
Glad to help! I bet it will work nicely!
Posted by: Jayne | September 23, 2009 at 07:09 AM
Love your posts. These were definitely yummy. Like too much for me to have around. If you see my blog about them. (she says shamedly and quietly, "I ate the whole galette" within two days, by myself.) Ok, I said it, I feel better now.
Posted by: Katrina | September 23, 2009 at 09:58 AM
You know, it doesn't look like anyone's pufflets actually browned. I wonder if it's the cheese in the dough. Love that last photo! Lesson learned.
Posted by: Clivia | September 23, 2009 at 11:52 AM
LOL, I hear you on the "trying to blow a spec of something off the plate". Been there, done that.
Your little pufflets look great, I wish I'd have done rectangles. Triangles just didn't cut it. And I'm so pleased to hear that some of you liked them a lot.
Thanks for baking along this week :)
Posted by: Jacque | September 23, 2009 at 11:52 PM
So glad these worked out for you. They were just not worth the work at my house. Ah well.
Posted by: jules | September 24, 2009 at 10:39 PM