Recipe of the Quarter

4/1/2022

MARA NYIKA'S PASTRIES – Recipe by Benjamin Ontita, Pastry Chef At Mara Nyika

Guests at Kenya's Mara Nyikaoften rave about the quality of the breakfast pastries produced in the African wilderness. According to Chef Benjamin Ontita, making pastries is not complicated and can be fun and personalized. Once the dough is made, a variety of products can be created by substituting the filling, such as chocolate croissants, almond croissants, blueberry Danish etc.

Ingredients for the dough     

• 7 cups White Flour
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 2 tb Salt
• ¼ cup Yeast
• 2/3 cup Milk
• 2/3 cup Heavy Cream
• ¾ cup Water
• 2.2 cups Unsalted Butter ( folding)
• One Egg - for egg wash

Ingredients for the Pastry Cream (used in the making of the Danish pastry)

• 1 ¼ cup Milk
• ¼ cup + 2 tb Sugar
• One Egg
• One Egg yolk
• ¼ cup Corn flour or custard powder
• Few drops of vanilla essence

METHOD

PREPARATION OF CREAM PASTRY

1. In a heavy saucepan, stir the milk and sugar together. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg.
3. Stir together the remaining sugar and corn flour; then stir them into the egg until smooth.
4. When the milk comes to a boil, drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream while mixing so that you do not cook the eggs.
5. Return the mixture to the saucepan and slowly bring to a boil, constantly stirring, so the eggs do not curdle or scorch on the bottom.
6. When the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, remove it from the heat. Keep aside to cool.

PROCEDURE TO PREPARE THE DOUGH

1. Mix all ingredients together to make a soft dough.
2. Chill the dough for 2 hours, then fold in the butter.
3. After folding in the butter, roll the dough and make the first turn (fold the pastry in half).
4. Chill the dough for an hour.
5. After the hour, roll the dough and make a second turn.
6. Chill the dough for another hour. Then make a third final turn.
7. Divide this dough into two.

HOW TO MAKE CROISSANTS

1. Roll one-half of the dough and cut it into triangles for croissants.
2. Fill the triangles with any filling you would like (experiment with what you have, from jams to Nutella!).
3. Start rolling the croissant from the base of the triangle to the tip.
4. Apply egg wash and keep aside to proof.
5. Once croissants have proofed (almost double the size), bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

HOW TO MAKE DANISH PASTRY

1. Roll the other half of the dough to required size, then spread the homemade pastry cream evenly on the dough.
2. Sprinkle raisins evenly on the dough (or anything else you have in the cupboard – be experimental)!
3. Roll the dough starting from the far end towards yourself.
4. Once at the end, apply egg wash to seal the dough.
5. Cut the rolled dough into desired sizes, apply egg wash and keep aside to proof. 
6. Once the cut dough pieces have proofed (almost double the size), bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes