Mini Cottage Cheese–Applesauce Croissants

These mini croissants pair a tender quark dough with fruity applesauce. Applesauce replaces some of the butter while helping the pastries remain moist. They are lightly sweet and suitable for breakfast, brunch, a coffee break or a shared buffet.

Makes: 48 mini croissants
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes, plus at least 4 hours of chilling

Ingredients

• 250 g wheat flour, such as Type 550, or spelt flour Type 630
• 250 g quark, 20% fat
• 150 g butter, slightly softened
• 100 g applesauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 48 teaspoons applesauce for filling, using plain applesauce or flavors such as apple-pear, apple-apricot or apple-mango
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, butter, 100 g applesauce, quark and optional sugar using a hand mixer, stand mixer or your hands until a dough forms.
2. Because the dough will be slightly sticky, transfer it to a floured work surface and knead with a little additional flour until smooth. Shape it into a ball.
3. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 160°C convection. Line baking sheets with baking paper.
5. Divide the chilled dough into four equal portions. Keep three portions refrigerated while working with the first.
6. On a well-floured surface, roll one portion from the center outward into a circle approximately 26 cm in diameter. Turn and flour the dough as needed to prevent sticking.
7. Cut the circle into 12 narrow wedges.
8. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of applesauce on each wedge and spread it lightly, or leave it as a small spoonful.
9. Starting at the wide end, roll each wedge into a small croissant. A little filling may escape at the edges.
10. Arrange the croissants on a prepared baking sheet with space between them. Repeat with the remaining dough portions, cleaning and reflouring the work surface as necessary.
11. Brush each croissant with beaten egg yolk.
12. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for about 20 minutes, or until golden yellow.

Helpful Notes

• Keep unused dough refrigerated so it remains easy to handle.
• One baking sheet holds approximately 24 mini croissants.
• Different applesauce flavors can be used across the four portions of dough.