Air-Frying Pastry: Is It Possible?

Air fryers are a great alternative to ovens for baking pastries. They can be used to make a variety of pastries, including sausage rolls, apple pies, and puff pastries. Air fryers can create light, crispy, and flaky pastry textures, with a golden finish. They are also a quick and easy way to make pastries, with some recipes taking less than 30 minutes to make.

Air fryer apple pies

Yes, you can cook pastry in an air fryer! In fact, cooking apple pies in an air fryer is a great way to make a quick, easy, and delicious dessert.

Ingredients:

• Pie crust
• Apples
• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Cinnamon
• Cornstarch
• Confectioners' sugar
• Milk
• Egg
• Coarse sugar (optional)

Method:

First, combine the apples, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until the apples have softened, which should take around 5 minutes. Next, dissolve some cornstarch in cold water and stir this into the apple mixture. Cook for about another minute, until the sauce thickens, then set the filling aside to cool.

Now, it's time to prepare the crust. Unroll the pie crust on a lightly floured surface and roll it out slightly to smooth the surface. Cut the crust into rectangles, making sure that they are small enough so that two can fit in your air fryer at one time. You should end up with 8 equal rectangles, and you can re-roll any scraps of dough if needed.

Wet the outer edges of 4 rectangles with water and place some apple filling in the center, leaving about a 1/2-inch border. Roll out the remaining 4 rectangles so that they are slightly larger than the filled ones. Place these on top of the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.

Preheat your air fryer to between 350 and 385 degrees Fahrenheit (175-195 degrees Celsius). Spray the basket with cooking spray.

Before placing the pies in the air fryer, brush the tops with a beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar (if desired). Cut some small slits in the tops of the pies to allow steam to escape.

Place 2 pies in the basket at a time, leaving space for air to circulate, and air fry for about 8-10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove the pies from the basket and repeat with the remaining pies.

Finally, mix together some confectioners' sugar and milk to make a glaze. Brush the glaze onto the warm pies and allow it to dry. These pies can be served warm or at room temperature.

Tips and Variations:

• You can use canned apple pie filling or make your own filling with fresh apples.
• For an extra treat, add more cinnamon and nutmeg to the apple filling, or serve the pies with a side of caramel sauce.
• If you want to make your pies ahead of time, you can refrigerate them for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 2 months.
• You can also use puff pastry instead of pie crust for a flakier, crispier texture. Simply cut the pastry into rectangles, brush with milk or egg wash, and air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-7 minutes per side. Top with powdered sugar or honey for a delicious dessert!

Gluten-free sausage rolls

Yes, you can cook pastry in an air fryer. In fact, you can make delicious gluten-free sausage rolls in an air fryer in just 12 to 14 minutes!

Ingredients:

• Gluten-free puff pastry
• Gluten-free sausages (or pork mince)
• Wholegrain mustard
• Egg

Instructions:

• Remove the sausage meat from the casings and put it into a bowl.
• Mash the sausage meat with a fork until it is no longer lumpy.
• Unroll the puff pastry and cut it in half lengthwise so you have two long strips.
• Spread a long line of mustard just off-centre along each strip, then top with a line of sausage meat.
• Brush beaten egg along one edge and fold the pastry over, sealing it with a fork.
• Brush the top of the pastry with more beaten egg and cut slashes in it with a sharp knife.
• Cut the pastry into the desired size for your air fryer basket.
• Place the sausage rolls in the air fryer basket at 200°C/400°F for 12-14 minutes, until golden and crisp.

You can also add some vegetables to the sausage meat, such as grated carrot, or use a meat-free sausage alternative to make vegetarian or vegan sausage rolls.

Air fryer sausage rolls are a quick and easy treat, perfect for parties or a tasty snack, and the dry environment of the air fryer ensures there is no soggy pastry!

Honey mustard sausage rolls

Yes, you can cook pastry in an air fryer. It is possible to make a variety of dishes using pastry sheets in an air fryer, including sweet treats like beignets and savoury snacks like sausage rolls.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 6-8 cocktail sausages
• Honey
• Mustard
• (Optional) Maple syrup

Instructions:

• If your sausages are frozen, let them defrost first.
• Prepare the honey mustard marinade by mixing honey, mustard, and (optional) a pinch of salt and/or maple syrup in a bowl.
• Place the sausages in a silicone air fryer case, making sure they aren't overcrowded.
• Pour or spread the marinade over the sausages.
• Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 12-15 minutes, or until the sausages are cooked and the skin is crispy.
• While the sausages are cooking, prepare the pastry. Cut the pastry sheet into rectangles, approximately 3 per sausage roll.
• Brush one side of each rectangle with milk or egg wash.
• Place the rectangles in the air fryer basket in a single layer, milk/egg side down.
• Brush the top of the pastry with milk or egg.
• Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 6-7 minutes, then flip and air fry for an additional 3 minutes.
• Assemble the sausage rolls by placing a sausage at one end of each pastry rectangle and rolling it up.
• Serve warm, with a side of your favourite dipping sauce.

Note: All air fryers cook differently, so keep an eye on your pastry to make sure it doesn't burn.

Air fryer puff pastry

To make air fryer puff pastry, first, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). While it is preheating, cut your thawed puff pastry into 6 rectangles. You can use either a whole sheet of puff pastry or use leftovers. You can also cut the pastry into squares if you plan to fill them. Next, brush one side of the pastry with either milk or egg wash. Place the pastry in the air fryer basket in a single layer, with the milk/egg side down, and brush the other side with the milk or egg.

Air fry for 6-7 minutes, then flip and air fry for an additional 3 minutes. The pastry should be brown and golden, but be careful not to burn it. Once cooked, plate and serve with your desired toppings.

You can also fill your puff pastry with chocolate. To do this, unfold the pastry on a tray lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour. Place chocolate morsels in the center of each rectangle, fold the pastry over, and press the ends with a fork. Make two slits on top of the pastry, brush with beaten egg, and air fry for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Another option is to fill your puff pastry with a cream cheese mixture. Roll out the pastry and cut into squares. Top each square with a mixture of cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, and egg yolk, and seal with egg wash. Brush the tops with egg wash and air fry in batches for 8-10 minutes.

Pastry puffs

Yes, you can cook pastry puffs in an air fryer! This simple, classic, and light dessert is easy to make and tastes amazing. You can make this with an entire sheet of puff pastry or with leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• Milk or egg wash
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• Honey (optional)

Steps:

• Thaw the puff pastry according to the package directions.
• Cut the puff pastry into 6 rectangles.
• Brush one side of the puff pastry with milk or egg wash.
• Place the puff pastry in the air fryer basket in a single layer, milk/egg side down.
• Brush the top of the pastry with milk or egg.
• Air fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-7 minutes.
• Flip the pastry and air fry for an additional 3 minutes.
• Plate the pastry and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of honey, if desired.

Note that all air fryers cook differently, so watch your pastry carefully to make sure it is getting brown and golden, but not burned.

You can also get creative with different toppings and fillings for your pastry puffs. Some ideas include:

• Whipped strawberry butter
• Brown sugar butter
• Cinnamon whipped cream
• Air-fried apples
• Chocolate
• Cream cheese mixture and jam

Frequently asked questions