Quince pastelitos

1.For flaky pastry, melt 50gm butter in a saucepan over low heat and set aside. Pulse 300gm flour, remaining diced butter and ½ tsp salt in a food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter remain, add yolk and lemon juice, and pulse to just combine. Add 125ml iced water and pulse to just combine, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest and chill. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 40cm square, brush evenly with melted butter, then dust lightly with a little of the remaining flour to soak up the butter. Fold dough in half from the top down to form a 20cm x 40cm rectangle, then brush with butter and dust with flour once again. Fold short sides in toward the centre, overlapping (you’ll now have a 20cm square), then brush with butter and dust with flour. Fold top half of the dough again (you’ll have a 10cm x 20cm rectangle), brush with butter and dust with flour, then fold short sides in as before to form a 10cm square. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest for 30 minutes.

2.For vanilla-cinnamon syrup, stir sugar and 250ml water in a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, add cinnamon and vanilla bean and seeds, bring to the boil and cook until a light syrup forms (4-5 minutes). Add lemon juice, stir to combine and set aside.

3.Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 45cm square, trim uneven edges and cut into 16 squares (we’ve used a fluted pastry wheel for fancy edges). Place a teaspoonful of quince paste in the centre of half the squares and brush edges lightly with water. Place remaining pastry squares on top offsetting them to form eight-point stars and press around filling to seal. Pinch to form a flower shape and place on a lightly floured tray.

4.Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 180C. Deep-fry pastries in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown (2-3 minutes). Drain on paper towels, then serve hot drizzled with vanillacinnamon syrup and dusted with icing sugar.