Raspberry Pastry Knots

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to 105° to 115°F (40° to 46°C). Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. Let stand for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the milk mixture and knead until the dough forms a ball, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl, oil the inside of the bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Divide the dough in half.

Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into a log 12 inches (30 cm) long. Using a pastry scraper, divide each log into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch (20-cm) log. Using your index finger, create an indentation along the length of each log.

In a small bowl, stir together the raspberry preserves and raspberries, gently crushing the berries until they are broken into pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, spoon a heaping 1 tsp. of the raspberry filling into the indentation. Using a small spoon, spread the filling evenly along the length of the indentation, then gently pinch the edges of the indentation together to lightly seal the raspberry filling inside. (Don’t worry if the edges don’t seal completely.) Tie the dough into a loose knot and shape to fit into a prepared muffin cup. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until slightly risen, about 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).

Remove the plastic wrap from the pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture. Bake until the pastries are golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F (88°C), 18 to 20 minutes.

Invert the pastries onto a wire rack, then turn them right side up and place on another rack. Let cool slightly, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve. Makes 12 pastries.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen