Description
Delight in these charming Cheese and Strawberry Heart Pastries, featuring flaky puff pastry hearts filled with a smooth cream cheese and strawberry jam blend, topped with fresh diced strawberries. Perfectly golden and dusted with powdered sugar, they make a lovely treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 1 (8.6 oz) sheet puff pastry
Filling
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 Tbsp strawberry jam
- 1 drop red food coloring (or beet powder), optional
- 2/3 cup very small diced strawberries
Finishing
- 1 large egg, whisked with 1 Tbsp water
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat and Thaw Pastry: Thaw the puff pastry sheet according to package instructions. Halfway through thawing, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) for an optimal baking environment.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, strawberry jam, and optional red food coloring. Press the mixture against the bowl sides with a spatula to remove lumps and achieve smoothness. Chill in the refrigerator or briefly in the freezer until firm but not frozen.
- Cut Pastry Shapes: Roll out the thawed puff pastry and use a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many hearts as possible, placing them close together to minimize waste.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Arrange the pastry hearts with 1 1/2 inches of space apart to allow expansion during baking.
- Score Hearts: With a sharp paring knife, lightly score a smaller heart inside each pastry about 1/3-inch from the edge without cutting through, creating a border to hold the filling.
- Fill Pastries: Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each heart and gently spread towards the edges but leave the border clear. Sprinkle the diced strawberries evenly on top of the filling without covering the border.
- Brush Edges: Lightly brush the exposed 1/3-inch border with the egg and water wash to promote a golden, glossy finish.
- Bake Pastries: Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes or until the pastry edges puff and turn golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Best enjoyed the same day for ideal freshness.
Notes
- Ensure your cream cheese mixture isn’t too runny to prevent soggy pastries.
- Use a sharp knife to score the pastry gently without cutting through.
- Make sure to space pastries well apart on the baking sheet for even puffing and browning.
- Optional red food coloring or beet powder adds a festive pink hue to the filling.
- Serve these pastries fresh the same day for the best flavor and texture.
