Description
Delight in these charming Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Pastries, featuring flaky puff pastry filled with a sweet and creamy strawberry cream cheese mixture, topped with fresh strawberries and a luscious vanilla glaze. Perfect for a romantic breakfast, brunch, or dessert, these pastries combine delicate textures and rich flavors in a visually stunning heart shape.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry
- 2 frozen puff pastry sheets (thawed)
Filling
- 6 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons strawberry jelly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 fresh strawberries
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Glaze
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the thawed puff pastry sheets on a flat surface and use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut 6 heart shapes from each sheet.
- Create Heart Outlines: Use a smaller heart cookie cutter to cut a small heart out of the center of 6 of the larger puff pastry hearts to create heart outlines.
- Chill Puff Pastries: Place the heart outlines over the full hearts and refrigerate them while preparing the filling to keep the pastry firm.
- Make Cream Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, strawberry jelly, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Pastries: Remove the puff pastry hearts from the refrigerator. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each full heart without spreading it, as it will melt outward when baked.
- Add Strawberry Slices: Slice the fresh strawberries and arrange 1-3 slices gently on top of the cream cheese filling on each pastry, taking care not to press them down.
- Apply Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, carefully brush the egg wash over the exposed puff pastry edges, avoiding the cream cheese center.
- Bake Pastries: Bake the assembled pastries for 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is puffed and golden brown.
- Cool Slightly: Allow the baked pastries to cool slightly on a wire rack while preparing the glaze.
- Prepare Vanilla Glaze: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Adjust thickness by adding more sugar for stiffness or cream for fluidity.
- Drizzle and Serve: Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the warm or room temperature pastries using a spoon or piping bag. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure puff pastry sheets are fully thawed but cold to work with them easily.
- Do not overfill the pastries to prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and appearance.
- The glaze consistency can be adjusted depending on your preference for drizzle thickness.
- These pastries are best enjoyed the same day for optimal puffiness and freshness.
