Hello there, pastry lovers! Today, I’m so excited to share one of my absolute favorite treats with you: Lobster Tail Pastry! If you’ve ever wanted to make a truly impressive and delicious dessert that’s surprisingly fun to create, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get baking and make some amazing lobster tail pastry together!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This lobster tail pastry recipe is a real showstopper, and it’s not just about looks! Imagine biting into layers of incredibly flaky, crispy pastry that shatter in your mouth, followed by a smooth, rich, and creamy filling. That’s exactly what you get with these beauties. What makes this recipe extra special is that it’s totally doable at home. I’ll guide you through each step to create those signature, layered “lobster tails” and that luscious cream filling. Plus, the sweet glaze on top adds the perfect finishing touch. Trust me, once you try homemade lobster tail pastry, you’ll be hooked! It’s a fantastic dessert to impress your friends and family, or just to treat yourself to something truly special.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these delicious lobster tail pastries. Don’t worry, it looks like a lot, but it’s all straightforward!
For the Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup ice water
For the Cream Filling:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional, for flavor)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s get started on making these amazing pastries! Follow these steps, and you’ll be enjoying fresh lobster tail pastry in no time.
Step 1: Make the Dough
First, we’re going to make the dough. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This is important for creating those flaky layers! Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently after each addition, until the dough just comes together. Don’t overmix it! Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This chilling time is crucial for the butter to firm up again, which will give us those lovely layers.
Step 2: Roll and Fold the Dough
Now for the fun part – creating the layers! Lightly flour your work surface. Take the chilled dough and roll it into a rectangle about 12×18 inches. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter, bringing one short end over the center and then the other short end over that. This is called a “turn.” Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. We will repeat this rolling and folding process two more times, for a total of three turns, with 30 minutes of chilling in between each turn. This creates hundreds of thin layers in our dough, which will puff up beautifully when baked.
Step 3: Make the Cream Filling
While the dough is chilling for the last time, let’s make the cream filling. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, and flour. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly drizzle a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly (this is called tempering the eggs – it prevents them from scrambling). Pour the warmed egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes more, until the filling is thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the cream filling into a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until completely cold. Once cold, in a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled cream filling. Set aside.
Step 4: Shape the Lobster Tails
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Take the chilled dough and roll it out one last time into a large rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares, about 4-inch squares. To shape the “lobster tails,” take one square of dough and stretch it slightly into a diamond shape. Place a spoonful of the cream filling in the center of the diamond. Bring one corner of the diamond up and over the filling, then continue rolling up the dough into a cone shape, leaving the pointed end open to resemble a lobster tail. Pinch the seam to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Place the shaped lobster tails on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 5: Bake the Pastries
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up. Keep an eye on them – they should be beautifully golden and crispy. Once baked, let the lobster tail pastries cool on a wire rack.
Step 6: Make the Glaze and Finish
While the pastries are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk or water, and lemon juice (if using) until smooth and drizzly. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more liquid; if it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Once the pastries are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top of each lobster tail pastry. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Lobster tail pastry is a treat that can stand alone, but here are a few ideas to make them even more special:
Food Pairings: These pastries are wonderful with a cup of hot coffee or tea. For a more decadent dessert experience, try pairing them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. A side of fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries can also add a lovely touch of freshness and color.
Presentation Tips: Dusting the finished pastries with a little extra powdered sugar after glazing can make them look even more elegant. Arrange them on a pretty platter for serving, and consider garnishing with a few fresh berries or a sprig of mint for a pop of color.
Suitable Occasions: Lobster tail pastries are perfect for a special brunch, afternoon tea, or as a delightful dessert after dinner. They are impressive enough for holidays like Easter or Christmas, and also a lovely treat for birthdays or anniversaries. They’re sure to impress at any gathering!
Storage and Reheating
Storage: The best way to store leftover lobster tail pastry is in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store them longer, you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days, but the pastry might lose some of its crispness.
Reheating: To reheat and restore some crispness, you can gently warm them in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to overheat them, or the filling might become too soft. You can also enjoy them cold, straight from the refrigerator, if you prefer.
Key Details
Total Time:
- Prep time: 1 hour (including dough chilling)
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Total time: Approximately 3 hours (including chilling)
Servings: Makes about 12 pastries
Required Equipment:
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry blender or your fingers
- Plastic wrap
- Rolling pin
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
- Knife or pizza cutter
And there you have it! Homemade lobster tail pastry, ready to impress and delight. I hope you enjoy making and eating these as much as I do. Happy baking!
Lobster Tail Pastry
Ingredients
- For the Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- For the Dough: 1/2 teaspoon salt
- For the Dough: 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- For the Dough: 1/2 cup ice water
- For the Cream Filling: 1 cup whole milk
- For the Cream Filling: 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- For the Cream Filling: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- For the Cream Filling: 2 large egg yolks
- For the Cream Filling: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Cream Filling: 1/2 cup heavy cream cold
- For the Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar
- For the Glaze: 2-3 tablespoons milk or water
- For the Glaze: 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice optional, for flavor
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and cut into the flour until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add ice water until the dough comes together. Form a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Roll and Fold the Dough: Roll chilled dough into a 12x18 inch rectangle. Fold in thirds like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat this rolling and folding process two more times, with 30 minutes of chilling in between each turn.
- Make the Cream Filling: Whisk together milk, sugar, and flour in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Temper egg yolks with hot milk mixture, then add back to the saucepan. Cook until thick and smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold. Whip cold heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold into the chilled cream filling.
- Shape the Lobster Tails: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4-inch squares. Stretch a square into a diamond, place filling in the center, and roll into a cone shape. Pinch seam to seal. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the Pastries: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed up. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Glaze and Finish: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk/water, and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled pastries. Let glaze set before serving.
