Dutch Puff Pillows

These are very popular at the Dutch bakeries in Pella, Iowa, , especially at Tulip Time in May.  A friend there, Dot, gave me this recipe; she makes her own puff pastry.  I had to try my hand at making my own – albeit with purchased puff pastry dough!   I bought the topping sugar at the bakery here – but I see that Wilton sells a similar sugar at Walmart and other stores.   
We were very happy with the results – the filling is delicious and not too sweet and kept its shape and was very easy to make.  We were amazed that they froze very well, with the filling in them.  They don't need to thaw long before serving, or else keep them cold.
I think this filling would be good in little cream puffs, between cake layers or even as frosting.
Puff Pillows
½ box puff pastry sheets – thawed (1 sheet)
1 large egg white – beaten until slightly frothy
coarse decorating sugar
Filling
1 cup milk
1/4 cup Flour, All-purpose
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Thaw pastry sheets 40 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Open pastry sheets and cut down the folds to make 3 sections. Cut each into 4 pieces. Brush each section with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Be sure they are golden-brown-don't underbake.
  • For filling, cook milk and flour until thick, cool. Transfer to a mixing bowl when cool and add the rest of the ingredients. Beat at least 10 minutes with electric mixer, on top speed, scraping occasionally. Use your whisk attachment if you have one.  It should be very stiff.
  • When pastry cools, split pastry pillows in half to make a top and bottom. Carefully remove any soggy dough in the middle. Fill with cream filling.
  • These freeze very well.  The temperature to bake these is lower than the box states; you don't want to burn the sugar topping.
This makes 12 puffs suitable for a cookie or dessert tray. Our bakery ones are about half again as large.
Cost about 32¢ each or $ 3.78 per recipe if puff pastry is $3.79 per box
Per Serving : 173 Calories; 12g Fat (62.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 113mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for the recipe. I also am an Iowa baker. I made the mistake (for my waistline) of stopping in the Jaarsma bakery this weekend and now I can't get the place out of my mind. Their cream filling is soooo good. Not as rich or as artificial tasting as the big box stores use. I would like to recreate this at home to use and was looking for a recipe. Will let you know how it turns out.

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    1. Alysia,
      You'll like this filling...just follow the directions and be grateful you have a mixer! It's hard to leave it alone.

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  2. Thanks for the recipe. I am from Pella, but have been transplanted to the middle of WA state. I make my own letters and while making today's batch for St. Nick's my daughters were lamenting the lack of Puff Pillows. I decided to look for a recipe online and yours came up as a top choice.

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    1. We were in Pella today...my husband and I lived there almost 25 years before moving back closer to our families.
      I'm impressed that you make your own letters...
      This recipe is pretty close to Jaarsma's...the filling certainly tastes like theirs.
      Glad to hear from you.
      Sue

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