Thursday, November 22, 2007

Cream Cheese Pastry for Savouries

This makes perfect little gluten-free turnovers to serve as Christmas finger food. I have only tried this cream-cheese pastry with savoury fillings so far, to bring out the cheesiness of the cream cheese. I bet brie and cranberry chutney would be marvellous, or almost any savoury thing you would ordinarily wrap in phyllo pastry bundles.

3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in sugar and salt. Stir in flours, starches, and xanthan gum just to blend. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least one hour.

Roll out on a rice-floured surface to 1/8” thickness. Cut 3” rounds. Fill with 1 tsp of your favourite savoury pre-cooked filling. Brush edges with beaten egg and fold over rounds to seal. Prick with a fork. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, until golden.