Les Petits Chefs make mini oreillettes aux fruits et chocolat (fruit – and chocolate – Danishes)

Instructions

Make the crème pâtissière:

1. In a medium pot, bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat (or you can do this in a microwave).
2. In the meantime, whisk the egg, yolk, sugar and cornstarch together in a separate medium pot.
3. Once the milk has just reached a boil, remove it from the heat and pour a couple of teaspoons of milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined. Whisk quickly so you don’t scramble the eggs.
4. Slowly pour in the rest of the hot milk, whisking constantly, and place this pot over medium-high heat.
5. Continue to whisk until the mixture starts to thicken and produce large, slow bubbles. This should take 3 to 5 minutes. It should be quite thick (it should coat the back of a wooden spoon).
6. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and whisk gently to cool the mixture down slightly. Let it sit for a few minutes.
7. Whisk in the vanilla and then the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, until completely incorporated.
8. Cover the crème pâtissière with plastic wrap, with the wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin forming, allow it to come to room temperature (you can use it in the recipe now or refrigerate until you are
   ready to use).

Assemble the pastries

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375˚F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Unroll the thawed, but chilled, puff pastry sheets and cut each sheet into 9 squares. Place the pastry squares on the baking trays.
2. Place a heaping teaspoon’s worth of the crème pâtissière in the middle of each pastry square and use the back of a spoon to spread this across the middle of the square, diagonally.
3. Place an apricot half  or a few slices of fruit or some chocolate chips on top of the crème pâtissière. Fold two opposite corners of the pastry in to meet over the top of the apricot/ fruit/ chocolate.
4. Brush the bottom corner of the pastry with some eggwash and lay the other corner on top, pressing slightly so it sticks.
5. Brush the whole pastry (not the apricots) with eggwash and sprinkle with a little pearl sugar.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffed.
7. Remove from the oven, transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool slightly.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature. Best enjoyed the day they are made!