Lazos Are The Spanish Bow Tie Shaped Puff Pastries You Need To Try
Anything made of puff pastry is delicious. Sweet or savory, it doesn't matter. Puff pastry crosses cultures and countries to create countless puff pastry recipes — crackly mille-feuille, savory hand pies, and crisp crusts for chicken pot pie. Spanish panaderías and pastelerías have put their own spin on puff pastry, and one of the least known, at least on this side of the pond, are lazos.
Lazos, which means "ties," are pieces of delicate puff pastry twisted into bows and baked until they're crisp. They're then soaked in honey and sugar, and sometimes dusted with nuts, like a crisp, gooey Spanish baklava.
If you buy lazos in different towns around Spain, you'll find that each has its own version. Corbatas de Unquera, a type of lazo made in Unquera, features lemon juice and zest and almonds. You can find other lazos that are glazed all over or just dipped on the ends, some use different kinds of nuts, or just a dusting of powdered sugar. Others layer chocolate or hazelnut cream between puff pastry sheets before folding over and twisting, with a dusting of sugar before baking.
Bring some Spain into your kitchen by making lazos at home
If you can't get to Spain to buy a box for yourself, they're relatively easy to make. You'll need some store-bought puff pastry (or you can make your own puff pastry), honey syrup, powdered sugar, and a beaten egg. After rolling out two squares of puff pastry on a floured surface or parchment paper, trim them to the same size.
To make the pastry's distinct bow twist, you want to cut the dough into one-inch-wide vertical strips and twist them at the center. Brushing with a beaten egg and baking for 12 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit will make these pastries golden brown. Afterward, you can incorporate honey syrup and also some powdered sugar as well.
Puff pastry has layers of butter in it to achieve the puff, so work quickly to ensure the butter doesn't melt. You can avoid the classic puff pastry mistake by sticking the pastry in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up — at least 20 minutes. A firm puff pastry will puff better in the oven, rather than butter melting out.