Blood Orange & Vanilla Cheesecake Pastries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Place the cream cheese, caster sugar, 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg, vanilla and orange zest in a food processor. Blitz until smooth and well combined. Reserve the remaining beaten egg for brushing the pastry.
3. Slice the top and base from each blood orange. Stand them upright and use a sharp knife to remove the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Cut crossways into rounds approximately 1cm thick. Choose six of the most evenly sized centre slices and gently pat them dry with paper towel.
4. Unroll the pastry while it is still cold. Using a 12cm round cutter or small bowl as a guide, cut six circles completely through the pastry. Transfer them to the prepared tray.
5. Using an 8cm cutter, lightly score a smaller circle inside each pastry round. Take care not to cut all the way through—this creates the border that will rise around the filling.
6. Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the centre of each pastry and spread it evenly up to the scored line.
7. Place one blood orange slice over each cheesecake filling. Brush the exposed pastry border with the reserved beaten egg, avoiding the cut edges.
8. If the pastry has softened while assembling, place the tray in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
9. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden, crisp and beautifully puffed around the filling.
10. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

For the best lift, keep the pastry as cold as possible and make sure the oven is fully preheated before the pastries go in. Press the cutter straight down rather than twisting it, and avoid letting the egg wash run over the cut edges, as both can prevent the pastry layers from rising cleanly.