Top | The Splendid Table's How to Eat Weekends
Cinnamon Pastry
(recipe, Lynne Rossetto Kasper & Sally Swift)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, dipped and leveled
- 1½ cups cake flour (not self-rising), dipped and leveled
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 2½ sticks (10 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 oz. cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 large cold eggs, beaten
- 4 to 6 Tbsp. ice water
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter for the pan
Steps
- Make the pastry: In a food processor or large bowl, blend the flours, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.
- Cut the butter and cream cheese with rapid pulses in the processor, or run between your fingertips until you have a rough-looking mixture with jelly bean-sized lumps. In a small bowl, mix the eggs and 4 tablespoons of the ice water and pour over the flour mixture. Pulse or toss with a fork until the dough forms into ragged bits. If the dough is very dry, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse a few more times, or toss with a fork. The dough is moist enough when you can press it between your fingers and it holds together.
- Turn the dough into a counter. Divide it into two equal pieces and gently nudge each into a round patty. Wrap and chill for 2 to 24 hours.
- Assemble the pie: Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften a little. Butter a 14- to 16-inch pizza pan (ideally with holes) or a cookie sheet. Roll out the dough into two 18-inch rounds. Spread one over the pizza pan. There should be an overhang. Then lay a double sheet of foil over the dough and spread the second round over it. Chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Finish the pie: Go to step 4 of the main recipe.