A gluten free & vegan recipe
Ingredients
Flaky Pastry Dough
½ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup almond flour
¼ cup potato starch (not potato flour)
½ tsp xanthan gum
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp baking powder*
1/3 cup unsalted vegan butter (very cold and cut into cubes)**
1/8 cup ice cold water
Potato starch for rolling out the dough
*Flaky pastry is not normally made with baking powder. I made an exception here
**I use a vegetable based baker's pastry margarine. The recipe will work with ordinary butter
Filling
1/3 cup dried currants***
1 ½ tbsp sugar (more if you like)
¼ tsp cinnamon
*** Can also use raisins, finely shredded coconut or cranberries
Directions
Mix together the dry ingredients until properly combined
Add in roughly 2/3 of the cold butter, you want to leave some butter for the next stage. With a fork or pastry blender, work in the butter until the mixture forms large crumbly pieces of dough. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and press the pieces of dough together to form a crude ball. The dough should be moist, but not wet and it will not be smooth.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 - 15 minutes
Remove the dough from the fridge. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, place the unused portion back into the refrigerator. Put the dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper or silpat mat and press with the palm of your hand to flatten. Lightly dust the top of the flattened dough and using a rolling pin begin to roll out the dough rolling away from you with light even pressure. You can also roll between 2 pieces of cling wrap. Lift and turn the dough a few times to ensure that it does not stick to the parchment paper. Do not overwork the dough, it does not have to be perfect and it is best to leave some of the butter in big pieces.
Using some of the reserved margarine, scatter small pieces of it on the dough. Fold the dough unto itself to form a small square. Do not worry if the dough does not hold tightly together, a crude square is sufficient. It is more important not to flatten out the margarine to the point where it is fully mixed into the dough. You can roll the dough out once more and repeat the folding process. Once you are finished with both pieces of dough refrigerate again for 15-20 minutes.
Make the filling: combine the raisins (or other) with the sugar and cinnamon. Using a food processor or a coffee grinder, pulse the mix a few times to break up the dried fruit. Do not puree. The dough is fairly delicate so breaking up the dried fruit makes it easier to roll out the dough without tearing. Set the filling aside
Line a baking tray with parchment and set aside
Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll out to about 1/8” thickness. Again the dough does not have to be perfect, you can patch up torn areas with a little water and small pieces of dough. Once you get the desired thickness spread half of the fruit mix evenly on the dough. Beginning at one end roll the dough into a cylindrical shape. If you use parchment paper or a silpat mat, use either to lift the dough and fold it over without touching the dough. Carefully place the pastry unto your prepared tray. Repeat the steps to shape the second piece of dough. When you are done, refrigerate again for another 15 – 20 minutes. If your kitchen is hot, before shaping the second piece, place the first shaped dough into the refrigerator
Preheat the oven to 400F
When ready, remove the pastry from the refrigerator. Brush the top with vegetable oil, I use coconut, or brush with the margarine. Make evenly spaced diagonal slits along the top of the pastry
Place in oven and bake for 20-25 mins or until the tops of the pastry turns slightly brown.
Brush again with the oil or margarine, turn the oven to 450F, place the tray back in the oven and let the pastry brown again to a deeper colour, 2-3 minutes
Remove form the oven let the pastry cool. Using the diagonal slits as a guide cut the pastry into individual serving size pieces
Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for a few days or freezer for an extended period of time