Lardon-Fig Twists

These twisty, cheesy, savory-sweet, buttery puff-pastry twists go fast. Bake off half for round one, let people fill up on other things for a bit, then bake off the second batch to instantly become the most popular person at your own party.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
• 1-1/2 Tbs. fig jam
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 14-oz. package frozen all-butter puff pastry, such as Dufour, thawed
• 3 strips bacon, fried, cooled, drained, and finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup finely grated Comté or Gruyère
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Nutritional Information

Preparation

• In a small bowl, combine the mustard and fig jam. Lightly dust a work surface with flour, and roll out the puff pastry to an 11×15-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Using an offset spatula, spread the jam mixture over the pastry, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. With one long side of the pastry facing you, sprinkle the bacon and cheese evenly over the bottom half of the puff pastry, leaving a 1/4 -inch border, then brush the border with some of the beaten egg. Fold the top portion of the dough over the bottom, and gently press together. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
• Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat the oven to 400°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment, and spray lightly with cooking oil.
• Once the dough is chilled, brush with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with black pepper. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, trim the short ends of the rectangle, and cut the dough into ¾-inch-wide strips. Transfer the strips to the prepared baking sheets, and gently twist the ends twice to create a spiral. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight.
• Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the twists are puffed and golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.