Lemon Sugar Puff Pastry Twists Recipe

This weekend was jam-packed with family fun and, as happy hour rolled around on Sunday, we found ourselves craving a sweet treat and a Frozen Strawberry and Lime Daiquiri to wash it down. Out came the puff pastry, lemons from my in-laws' tree and the turbinado sugar. You can make these puff pastry sticks in about the time it takes you to crank open the patio umbrella and whip up a fruity cocktail.

This weekend was my youngest son's birthday. I am not sure how his seventh birthday rolled around so quickly. In fact, I am still in deep denial. In an effort to really send me over the edge, both of my kids like to tell me, "Add our two ages together and that equals 'driving'". Super. To celebrate the birthday, we took several of my son's friends to a place called Airborne, aptly named as the entire floor and walls are covered with interconnected trampolines. I may or may not have spent an hour and a half ricocheting off of walls and bouncing into pits of foam squares with eight 7-year old boys.

To add to the excitement of the weekend, my mum is here for a week-long visit. As we live a fair distance from both my parents and in-laws, it is always a thrill for the kids to have a chance to have some good-quality grandparent time, particularly on special occasions.

On top of that, my mum is pretty darn handy in the kitchen. As I worked on these puff pastry sticks, she set to work juicing the lemons from my in-laws' prolific Meyer lemon tree so that I can freeze the juice to use throughout the summer. About 15 lemons, 45 minutes and a journey towards severe carpal-tunnel pain, my mum presented me with six cups of the fresh juice. Now that is motherly love!

These sticks come together very quickly and, once cooled, can be stored in an airtight container for two to three days.

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Unfold defrosted sheet of puff pastry onto a well-floured surface. Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll the puff pastry until about 1 inch bigger in lengthwise and crosswise.

Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry crosswise into 12 even strips.

In a large, shallow dish, stir together lemon zest and turbinado sugar.

Brush both sides of each strip with melted butter. Lay strips, one a time, in sugar mixture and coat both sides of the pastry. Lay strips on baking sheets, twisting each one.

Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, rotating pans halfway through baking, about 12 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Other desserts using puff pastry:

Cookin' Canuck's Strawberry & Chocolate Cream Cheese Napoleon
Cookin' Canuck's Brie Cheese & Strawberry Puff Pastry "Ravioli" with Chocolate Sauce
Evil Shenanigan's Apple Fried Pies with Puff Pastry
Barbara Bakes' Puff Pastry Maple Bars
The Cooking Photographer's Puff Pastry Plum Tart

Lemon Sugar Puff Pastry Twists

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Flour for rolling
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
½ cup turbinado sugar (often sold as Sugar in the Raw)
2 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Unfold defrosted sheet of puff pastry onto a well-floured surface. Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll the puff pastry until about 1 inch bigger in lengthwise and crosswise. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry crosswise into 12 even strips.

In a large, shallow dish, stir together lemon zest and turbinado sugar.

Brush both sides of each strip with melted butter. Lay strips, one a time, in sugar mixture and coat both sides of the pastry. Lay strips on baking sheets, twisting each one.

Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, rotating pans halfway through baking, about 12 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Makes 12 sticks.

Printable recipe