Apricot Blossom Pastries Questions

My pastry flowers puffed up unevenly and the filling leaked out - what went wrong?

Puff pastry needs to go into the oven cold, so if the dough warmed up while you were cutting and stacking the flowers, the layers slump and the ring loses its wall. Chill the assembled flowers on the tray for about 15 minutes before baking, and don't overfill the centre - the quark cream expands slightly as it sets. It also helps to press the two flower layers together only at the outer petals, so the rim can still rise.

Can I use fresh apricots instead of canned halves?

Yes, but fresh apricots release much more liquid than drained canned ones, which can water down the quark cream. Halve them, remove the stones and let them sit cut-side down on kitchen paper for a few minutes, or pre-bake them briefly so some moisture evaporates. If your fresh apricots are quite tart, the maple syrup brushed on at the end becomes even more welcome.

How far ahead can I prepare these, and can I freeze anything?

You can cut the flower shapes and mix the quark filling the day before, keeping both covered in the fridge - the cornstarch and egg yolk hold the cream stable overnight. The cut dough shapes also freeze well raw on a tray; bake them straight from frozen with a couple of extra minutes. Only fill, top with apricots and brush with egg yolk right before baking, otherwise the base goes soft.

How should I store the baked pastries, and can I refresh them?

Because of the quark filling they belong in the fridge, loosely covered, and are best within about two days. The cold makes the puff pastry soften, so warm them in the oven at 180°C for a few minutes to bring the layers back - let them cool before serving so the cream sets again. Brush a little fresh maple syrup on the apricots afterwards if the shine has dulled.

What can I use instead of quark, and does the filling still work without cornstarch?

Unsalted cream cheese is the direct swap named in the recipe; thick Greek-style yoghurt drained overnight also works, though anything wetter than quark will need the full tablespoon of cornstarch. The cornstarch is what stops the filling from splitting or running out during the 18-22 minutes in the oven, so don't leave it out - with cream cheese you could reduce it slightly, but not skip it. Keep the sugar at 40 g so the cream stays firm rather than syrupy.