PEACH PHYLLO POCKETS

SOURCE: JACQUES TORRES, CHRISTINA WRIGHT, AND KRIS KRUID. DESSERT CIRCUS AT HOME: FUN, FANCIFUL, AND EASY-TO-MAKE DESSERTS.

Wrapping peach slices inside buttered phyllo leaves for a sweet finale to every meal takes inspiration from Moroccan and Greek pastries where alternating layers of unleavened dough and fat draw out the shattering crispiness and flaky appeal.

Ingredients

8 phyllo dough sheets

1 cup/226 grams and more unsalted butter, melted

2 cups/200 grams and more powdered sugar

1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar

3/4 cup/100 grams all-purpose flour

10 fresh yellow peaches, peeled, halved and cut into 1/4-inch/0.64-cm slices

Specific Equipment

Clean kitchen towel

Pastry brush

Fine-mesh sieve or strainer

Paring knife

Small bowl

Baking pan lined with parchment paper

Serves 8

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.

2. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on the work surface while keeping the rest of the phyllo sheets covered under a clean kitchen towel to keep them from drying. Spread 2 tablespoons/28 grams melted butter with a pastry brush over the entire surface of the phyllo sheet, brushing all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the phyllo sheet over with 1/4 cup/25 grams powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer.

3. Cover with a second sheet of phyllo. Brush the top layer with 2 tablespoons/28 grams melted butter and sprinkle liberally all over with 1/4 cup/25 grams powdered sugar. Set aside.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for the remainder of the phyllo dough to make three more sets of doubled phyllo sheets.

5. Cut each of the doubled phyllo sheets in half with a paring knife, making a total of eight squares. Cut the corners off each square to shape each into closely looking like a circle. Set all eight circles aside.

6. Stir the granulated sugar and flour in a small bowl until well-blended. Sprinkle 2 1/2 tablespoons/25 grams of this mixture on the center of each circle.

7. Arrange the peaches in a circle over the sugar-flour mixture, distributing the peaches equally and leaving a 2-inch/5-cm border all around the slices. Fold the phyllo border all the way into the center, covering the peach slices and forming a round package. Turn the package over carefully, placing the seam side down on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.

8. Repeat Step 7 for the remainder of the phyllo circles.

9. Brush the top of all phyllo pockets with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle each with a thin layer of powdered sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until the phyllo pocket has turned golden brown and crispy.

10. Remove the baking pan from the oven and serve the phyllo pockets warm.