Savannah Bow Ties

Ingredients

• 1/2 a (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet)
• 1/2 cup almond paste
• 1 egg yolk, white reserved
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 egg white
• Sugar, for sprinkling
• Chocolate Dipping Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Let pastry stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or until easy to roll. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 14-inch square. Cut square in half with a fluted pastry wheel.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

For filling: crumble almond paste in a small mixing bowl. Add egg yolk, brown sugar, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Spread filling over 1 pastry half *. Place remaining pastry half on top of filling. Using the fluted pastry wheel, cut dough crosswise into fourteen 1-inch-wide strips. Then cut each strip in half crosswise to make 28 pieces. Twist each piece twice. Place twists about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with foil or parchment paper. Brush twists with slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sugar (coarse sugar if available).

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve with Chocolate Dipping Sauce.

*Almond filling will be very stiff. To make spreading easier, drop a dollop of filling uniformly over pastry. Spray a piece of waxed paper with non-stick cooking spray. Press almond paste evenly over entire dough. Spray waxed paper as often as necessary to prevent filling from sticking.

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 (1.5-ounce) milk chocolate bars

2 cups whipping cream

1 egg yolk, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Crumble candy bars in 1 at a time. Gradually stir in cream. Cook and stir over medium heat until chocolate is melted. Temper egg yolk with 1/2 cup of hot sauce. Add back to pot and cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pour into a serving bowl. Any remaining sauce can be poured into custard cups, refrigerated and served as pudding.

Yield: enough sauce for 28 cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ease of Preparation: Easy