Puff Pastry Sunflower

Puff pastry sunflowers are a delicious and visually appealing snack, perfect for an appetizer or a buffet. Here is the basic recipe to prepare puff pastry sunflowers.

Ingredients

• 2 rolls of rectangular puff pastry
• 100 g of basil pesto (or your favorite spreadable cream)
• 1 egg yolk (optional, for browning)
• Sesame or poppy seeds (optional, for decoration)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Unroll one roll of puff pastry and spread the pesto on top, making sure to leave a small border along the sides.
3. Unroll the second roll of puff pastry and place it on top of the first, pressing lightly to make the two layers adhere.
4. Using a pastry cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough to form a circle. You can use a plate or a bowl as a guide for cutting.
5. Place a smaller glass or jar in the center of the dough circle so as not to cut that part, which will be the “center” of the sunflower.
6. Cut the outer circle into 16 equal wedges (like slicing a cake), leaving the central part intact.
7. Take each wedge and twist it on itself 2 or 3 times, so that the part with the pesto faces upwards.
8. Once all the wedges are twisted, beat the egg yolk and brush the surface of the sunflowers to give a nice golden color when baking. If you like, you can sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on the sunflowers for an additional decorative touch.
9. Bake the puff pastry sunflowers for about 15-20 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.
10. Let cool for a moment before serving.

Fun Facts

These edible little flowers take their name from their shape that resembles that of a sunflower. They are perfect for surprising guests and can be filled with various ingredients, such as cream cheese and spinach, olive tapenade or even Nutella for a sweet version. The visual effect is always guaranteed!