Walnut and Quince Paste Croissants

Ingredients for 10 croissants:

• 2 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry rectangular shaped sheets
• demerara sugar for sprinkling on the croissants
• one egg yolk lightly beaten with a splash of milk

For the filling:

• 80 g of ground walnuts or pecan nuts (which are a great substitute)
• 100 g of quince paste (membrillo) or quince marmalade 
• about 40 g of demerara sugar (add more or less, depending on how sweet your quince paste is and how sweet you want the croissants to be)
• levelled 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• grated zest from one orange
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method:

Heat the oven to 200 C (fan).

Make the filling by putting the quince paste, walnuts and sugar into a bowl and mixing it well.

Now add all the remaining ingredients for the filling and stir thoroughly. You should obtain a thick paste.

Lay out the puff pastry sheets on a working surface.

Cut out five triangles from each sheet (about13-14 cm wide at the base) as on the picture.

Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the walnut paste at the centre of the base of each triangle (leaving some margin from the edge).

Fold the bottom edge of the triangle over the filling, try to tuck it under, and roll the pastry up pressing it gently with the palm of your hands.

Pinch the tips of the croissants (and any other area that needs sealing) folding them under and delicately shape the croissants into half moons.

Repeat it with the remaining triangles.

Place your croissants on a baking tray layered with baking parchment.

Brush them with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle some sugar on top.

Bake in  the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until well risen and dark golden in colour. If the pastry browns too quickly during baking, cover the pastries loosely with a sheet of aluminium foil.

Remove the tray from the oven and let the croissants cool down a little before tucking in.