Mini Stuffed Puffs

This was a very experimental recipe. I had never made this before but will be making it again. I am posting bite sized appetizers this week. I wanted to make a bite sized stuffed fruit puff. But at the last minute I realized I had some left over vegetable filling I used in another recipe. So I decided to use that filling instead. The flaky homemade pastry and the vegetable stuffing made this hors d'oeuvre a very wholesome bite.

I made this recipe on Prom night. My daughter left late afternoon and was gone for the rest of the day. I made these for our dinner. My husband for some reason chose not to eat it so it was my dinner. I like it a lot but would have to say they are best eaten hot out of the oven.

You will need (for 4 mini puffs)
For the puff shell
50 gm bread flour
1 tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
15 gm water

For the filling
1/4 roasted red bell pepper, dice finely
1/4 roasted yellow bell pepper, dice finely
1 roasted carrot, diced finely
3 tbsp. goat cheese
4-5 leaves basil chiffonade
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper powder
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the melted butter with the flour. Add in the other ingredients and combine to form a very soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover and keep aside for an hour or two.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Divide the risen dough into four portion. Form one of the portions into a ball and flatten with your palm. Place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat for the other portions. Let the prepared puffs rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry looks done and starts to change color. Take it out of the oven and let it cool a little. 

Meanwhile combine all the ingredients for the filling and keep aside until needed. Using a paring knife score a circle on the top layer of the pastry. Carefully cut into the top layer and scoop out the cut circle.

Stuff some of the filling into the puff. 

Replace the lid. Repeat for the other puffs. Put them back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Serve hot out of the oven.

Enjoy!