Cream-Filled Lobster Tail Pastries
Cream-Filled Lobster Tail Pastries
Introduction
These pastries are known for their crisp, flaky layers shaped like a lobster tail, filled with a light whipped cream or pastry cream. They are a luxurious Italian-American bakery classic. Making them at home requires patience but the result is spectacular: shattering layers, buttery aroma, and a cloud-soft filling.
Ingredients
Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons honey or sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
Butter Spread Layer
1 cup softened butter
1 cup shortening (or replace with butter)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream Filling
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional: 1 cup pastry cream folded into whipped cream
Dusting
Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt, water, honey, and melted butter until a soft dough forms. Knead 10 minutes until smooth. Rest 30 minutes.
- Mix the butter spread ingredients until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- Roll the dough into a long thin rectangle. Spread a thin layer of the butter mixture over the dough.
- Roll the dough tightly like a long log. Stretch it gently to lengthen.
- Refrigerate the log 1 hour to firm the layers.
- Cut the log into thick slices about 4 cm. Press the center of each slice with your thumbs to form a shell shape with layers spreading outward like a fan.
- Place on a baking tray and chill 20 minutes.
- Bake at 425°F / 220°C for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Cool completely.
- Whip the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until firm.
- Pipe the cream generously on top or fill the center of each shell.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Methods
The dough is made by rolling and layering fat to create hundreds of crisp sheets. The log-rolling and slicing technique gives the lobster-tail shape. Baking at high heat causes the layers to puff apart, giving a hollow shell that can be filled with cream.
History
The pastry originates from Italian pastry traditions in Naples, especially related to the classic sfogliatella. Italian immigrants in the United States adapted the recipe to create lobster-tail pastries, larger and filled with whipped or diplomat cream. Bakeries in New York and Boston made them famous.
Benefits
Crisp texture, impressive presentation, and rich flavor. They store well, can be filled with many creams, and remain a celebration pastry for holidays and family gatherings.
Formation
The structure forms through lamination: thin sheets of dough layered with butter and shortening. The coil is sliced, creating concentric rings. When baked, steam lifts the layers into a shell.
Conclusion
These pastries deliver a professional bakery result at home. Once the dough is mastered, the rest becomes simple: bake, fill, and enjoy a visually elegant dessert.
Lovers
Loved by pastry enthusiasts, families, holiday bakers, and anyone who appreciates highly layered pastries with rich cream.
Nutrition
Approximate per pastry with cream
Calories: 350–420
Carbohydrates: 30–40 g
Fat: 20–28 g
Protein: 4–6 g
If you want, I can also give:
A larger version, a shorter version, a no-cream version, a chocolate version, or a step-by-step photo-style guide.
