Nutella Pastry Christmas Tree

This pastry Christmas tree was all the rage this year.  I just had to try it.

At first I thought, “Great, this is simple”

Ok it’s simple, but its messy!

Because I had Nutella all over my hands I didn’t take any step by step pictures.

Ingredients

1 pkg Frozen Tenderflake Rolled Puff Pastry Sheets (2 in a box), thawed

Allow for up to 1/2 cup of Nutella

1 egg yolk,  plus 1 tsp water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cut parchment paper to fit baking sheet.
Lay the parchment paper on the counter.
Sprinkle the parchment paper with a little flour.  Place one sheet of thawed puff pastry on the parchment paper and roll out slightly to make the sheet a little larger.
Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled pastry to your baking sheet.
With the back of a spoon or an angled spreader, thinly spread out the Nutella in the shape of a triangle.  Leave room at the bottom for the trunk of the tree. 
Roll out a second sheet of puff pastry the same size as the first on a slightly floured surface. 
Transfer that sheet on top of the other sheet.
Press very lightly so you can see the outline of your Nutella.
Trim the edges of the tree around the Nutella and trim a tree trunk.  Use left over pastry to cut out a star if you like.
Score a line (very lightly) where the trunk of the tree is all the way up to the top of the tree, narrowing as you go.
This will guide you where to cut the strips on each side.
Starting at the bottom of the tree with a sharp knife, cut the double layered pastry into strips, going all the way up the tree.
Press the knife into the dough to cut, don’t drag it.
Beginning at the bottom again, start twisting the branches that you just made.  Twist away from you twice for the large branches and as you get to the small branches, twist only once.  Add your star at the top of the tree.
Brush your finished tree with the egg yolk and water mixture.  
Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
If you serve it right away, lift the parchment paper off the baking sheet and trim the paper around the tree.
I allowed mine to cool competely and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.
NOTE:
Alernatively you can make this tree with Jam.  We prepared one of these Jam Christmas Trees for a party where there was a nut allergy.
Use a very good THICK jam.

Enjoy !

For the Thumbprint Cookie recipe please click HERE

 

 For the Peanutbutterscotch Crunchie Recipe please click HERE