Puff Pastry Football

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Lightly flour a work surface, then unfold both sheets of puff pastry and lightly roll over them with a rolling pin to seal any perforations. 

Using a sharp knife, trace and cut out the shape of a football from one pastry sheet. Place the cut-out football atop the second sheet of pastry to trace and cut out a second football. (The scraps can be baked separately for dipping into additional chocolate-hazelnut spread.) 

Place one of the cut-out pastry footballs on the prepared baking sheet, then spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch (12-mm) border around the edges. Place the second pastry football on top. Brush the top of the football with the egg wash. 

Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make slits 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart along the sides of the football without cutting all the way across and leaving a strip 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide down the center of the football. Twist each strip tightly. 

Bake the puff pastry football until it is dark golden, 12 to 15 minutes. (All ovens vary, so if needed, add additional time until the football reaches your desired doneness.) 

Remove the puff pastry football from the oven and let it cool completely. 

Transfer the frosting to a sealable plastic bag or a piping bag. Snip off the tip and pipe the “laces” atop the football, then serve. Serves 6.

Note: Not a fan of chocolate-hazelnut spread? Swap in melted chocolate or your favorite spread, sweet or savory! This is definitely best when fresh, but Kelly has had it the day after being made and it’s still tasty. Just reheat it at 250°F (120°C) for a few minutes to warm it up.

Recipe courtesy of Kelly Senyei, founder of Just a Taste and host of The Sports & Forks Podcast