Daring Bakers 09-12: empanada gallega

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I have to admit I wasn’t too excited about this challenge at first. I didn’t see how the empanada gallega (which is a kind of shallow savory pie with a bread crust) belonged into the Daring Bakers just because it had yeast on it. Plus there was no exciting novelty factor either. My grandmother is from Galicia, so I have empanada gallega often. And while it’s a delicious and repeatedly requested dish, I’m not much of a savory cook so I didn’t feel like making a tuna and sardine pie, just to name my aunt’s staple. I could make a sweet version, of course, but I had never seen a sweet empanada gallega before. I had no idea what ingredients could be used (other than apple, which wouldn’t be fun enough!)

But, this story has a happy ending. I’m glad to say I was so wrong. After a month of thinking over it, considering making the fish shaped tuna and sardine empanada, and considering skipping the challenge (which would have sucked since I haven’t missed one yet), I had an eureka moment.

I thought of the perfect filling for my empanada: pastry cream and peach. I then tackled the challenge with renewed excitement, and made the dough without trouble. Then I made the pastry cream which looked great too.

But I run into more issues. This is kinda obvious, but pastry cream needs to chill before it thickens. Like, for several hours. I didn’t give this fact much thought, and when my dough was ready to be rolled, the pastry cream (which I guess was kinda thin from the beginning) was still warm and still liquid. I had been struck by empanada disaster!

This is where you’re supposed to make a repulgue, though I personally suck at that.

So I had to bake my empanada in a square pan instead of a sheet. My square pan isn’t too big, so the empanada turned way too tall (the right size is listed below).

But it came together in the end, we could even have it for dessert a few hours later and everyone loved it! In spite of the unusual shape and flavor, it could clearly be recognised as an empanada gallega. The pastry cream and peach is a great combination for the filling. And with the icing sugar on top, it reminded me of ensaimadas, another delicious Spanish treat.

Blog-checking lines:Patri of the blog, Asi Son Los Cosas, was our September 2012 Daring Bakers’ hostess and she decided to tempt us with one of her family’s favorite recipes for Empanadas! We were given two dough recipes to choose from and encouraged to fill our Empanadas as creatively as we wished!

Peach and pastry cream empanada gallega

Dough recipe adapted from Patri at the Daring Bakers, filling recipe adapted from Juan Manuel Herrera
Yield: one 8 x 12 in empanada

For the dough:

1 cup warm water
4 tbsp sugar
1/2 oz fresh yeast (or 1/2 tbsp dry yeast)
2 2/3 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp oil (I used olive)
1 egg (for wash)
 
1. Mix half the water with a tablespoon of the sugar. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. Let it stand, covered, for about 5 minutes, until spongy.
2. Mix the flour, salt and remaining sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the oil and water/yeast mix.
3. Work the mix into a dough by hand or with a stand mixer, adding the remaining water as needed.
4. Knead for about 10 minutes, or 6 minutes if using a stand mixer.
5. Let the dough rest, well covered, for 40 to 50 minutes.

For the filling:

2 cups milk
5 oz sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 oz flour
1 oz cornstarch
10.5 oz drained or fresh peaches

1. Mix the milk with half the sugar and the vanilla extract, and heat until boiling.
2. Sift the flour and cornstarch, and beat them into the eggs along with the remaining sugar.
3. Pour the boiling milk into the egg mixture, while whisking constantly.
4. Keep whisking and cook the mix until thickened (about a minute after boiling).
5. Cover the pastry cream with film and refrigerate until cool.
6. Mix in the chopped peaches.

Assembly:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Pat down the dough and divide it in half. Cover one half to prevent drying.
3. Roll the other half into a 8 x 12 in rectangle and transfer it to a floured baking sheet.
4. If desired, sprinkle the rolled dough with a mix of sugar and flour (about a tbsp each) to prevent it from getting soggy.
5. Spread the filling evenly into the rolled dough.
6. Roll the other half of the dough, a little bit smaller than the bottom rectangle.
7. Place the top rectangle over the filling, and pinch the top and bottom dough together to enclose the filling.
8. Make steam vents on the top of the dough, with a fork, knife or cookie cutter. Use any remaining dough to decorate as desired. Brush the top with the egg wash.
9. Bake the empanada until golden, about 30 minutes. Dust with icing sugar if desired.

 


13 thoughts on “Daring Bakers 09-12: empanada gallega

  1. I’m always more excited about the sweet challenges, too ;) Talk about creativity though! With the pastry cream filling this looks like a delicious, decadent dessert :)

  2. Hola! Jolín, siento que el “reto” no te gustara mucho, pero le diste una vuelta estupenda :-) Nunca se me hubiera ocurrido rellenar una empanada con crema pastelera y fruta, pero el resultado me encanta. La textura de la masa te quedó bastante “abizcochada”, le echaste huevo? :-)
    Muchísimas gracias por participar este mes!

    • Gracias, la verdad que a mi también me encantó el resultado! Aunque se me quemó un poquito la masa, jeje. Y no, usé tu receta (solo que con azúcar y menos sal), quedó así porque el molde era chico entonces creció mucho para arriba :P
      Y no hay de que! Aunque al principio no me entusiamó mucho el reto, pude encontrarle la vuelta y hacerlo a mi gusto, y al final me divertí mucho. Así que gracias a ti :)

  3. Pingback: Daring Bakers 10-12: Mille-feuille | Sabor Pastel

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