Spanish Almond Puffs

These spicy and sweet bites are great for any winter holiday get together. The spices are a wonderful combination with the frosty air outside as well as those toasty drinks inside. Super easy and quick to make using packaged puff pastry sheets, but feel free to make your own from scratch if you like. See the variation after the notes for making their classy sibling: Sweet & Spicy Party Twists. (Makes about 20 puffs, or 24 twists.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted raw or roasted almonds
• dash of kosher salt
• 1 tsp whole or ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• flour for dusting preparation surface
• 1 pkg (2 sheets) of pre-made puff pastry/phyllo dough, thawed
• 2-3 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º, or temperature indicated on the pastry packaging.
2. Add to a food processor: almonds, salt, and cumin. Process until finely chopped and starting to stick together (but don't go to far or you'll have almond butter).
3. Add to the food processor: thyme, paprika, cayenne or chili powder, and brown sugar. Process for another minute until mix has an even, crumbly texture. Set aside.
4. Dust a clean, dry surface with flour. Remove the first sheet of the pastry, place on the floured surface and unfold (see note 2).
5. Lightly paint the surface of the dough with water using a pastry brush. (The dough should not become wet or soft. If you use too much by accidentally, quickly pat dry with a paper towel or clean tea towel.)
6. Spread part of the almond mix on one half of the dough. (Read steps 7-9 and 15 first so that you can properly estimate how much of the mix to use here.)
7. Lift the half of the dough without the mix and fold it over the mix-coated half. Use your fingers to gently press along the open edges to seal the pastry together.
8. Use a rolling pin to gently roll the layered dough into a longer rectangle, i.e. roll from the top edge to the bottom edge. (Be careful to continue to keep the edges as square as possible.)
9. Again paint the dough with water and spread more of the mixture over half of the pastry (one of the long sides). Fold the dough over again and press the edges with your fingers.
10. Gently roll the dough just enough to help the layers stick together. The layered dough should be about 4 inches wide. 
11. Trim the edges as needed to create fairly straight edges. (This step is optional, but it makes the puffs look better.
12. Using a sharp knife or pastry scraper, cut the layered dough lengthwise, creating to strips about
13. Cut the strips into 2 inch squares.
14. Transfer onto a large, parchment lined or non-stick cookie sheet. (The brown sugar will slightly melt onto the cookie sheet.) Do not use non-stick spray as it will cause the dough to burn on the bottom.
15. Repeat steps 4-14 with the second sheet of pastry.
16. Bake for 20 minutes (as directed on the pastry packaging) until the dough begins to turn golden brown. 
17. Remove from the oven and let cool for only a few minutes, just until safe to handle, but the sugar is still sticky and not solidified. Remove from the pan and parchment to finish cooling. (See note 3.) Serve once cooled or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Notes:

1. The word Spanish does not reflect the origin of these treats (they are 100% my own creation), rather Spanish refers to the flavour blend that makes these so great. This recipe is inspired by the tasty little morsels that you can find in the bar of some high-end restaurants. I love this spice mix and keep a mix of it (everything except the almonds, dough and water) in a jar to top various snacks and dishes. Try it on air-popped popcorn, to season chicken, or even sprinkled on a salad.
2. Do not over thaw the pastry sheets (or on top of the heating oven, as I always accidentally do because of how small my kitchen is) or they will stick together and be impossible to unfold. If this does happen, dust the top side of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the doing out to a rough square the size the sheet should have been (this will not effect the integrity of the dough). Do your best too keep the edges straight and even to have the best shaped puffs when you are done.
3. Removing at this point should separate the puffs from the melted sugar, creating a cleaner looking puff, but also removing the burnt and unpleasant tasting sugar that has made its way to the cooking surface.

Variation:

1. Substitute the following steps for steps 12-15 above to create the Sweet & Spicy Party Twists.
2. Cut the layered pastry, widthwise, into about 12 equal strips (1/2-3/4 inches wide).
3. One at a time, lift the strips and holding each end, gently pull outwards while giving them a full twist. Place onto the parchment lined or non-stick cookie sheet, pressing gently down on each end with a finger to help them keep from untwisting while baking.
4. Repeat steps 4-11 in the original recipe, and steps 2-3 here with the second pastry sheet. 
5. Return to the original recipe at step 16.