If you’re craving a light and delightful dessert, these **Strawberry Pastries** will hit the spot! With layers of flaky puff pastry, sweet strawberry jam, and fluffy whipped cream, these pastries are topped with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate. This is a perfect dessert for any occasion, and it's surprisingly simple to make with store-bought puff pastry.
Ingredients:
- 4 puff pastry squares (1 roll of puff pastry will be more than enough)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
- Strawberry jam
- 150ml double cream/heavy cream (1/2 cup + 2 tbsps)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar/powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Fresh strawberries
- Chocolate spread or melted chocolate, for drizzling on top
Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Puff Pastry
Thaw your puff pastry according to the package instructions.
Step 2: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper or baking paper.
Step 3: Cut the Pastry
Cut four squares out of your puff pastry sheet. You can make the squares as big or small as you like, but be sure they are all the same size for even baking.
Step 4: Egg Wash
Lightly beat the egg and brush it onto two of the pastry squares using a silicone brush. Sprinkle some granulated sugar on top for extra sweetness and a golden crust.
Step 5: Make the Cutouts
Use a circular cookie cutter (or any shape you like) to cut a hole out of the two remaining pastry squares. Remove the circles and set them aside. Place the cutout pastry squares on top of the previously egg-washed pastry squares.
Step 6: More Egg Wash
Brush the top layer of pastry (the ones with the cutouts) with egg wash and sprinkle more granulated sugar on top.
Step 7: Bake the Pastry
Bake the puff pastry squares at 200°C (400°F) for about 18 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed up.
Step 8: Cool the Pastries
Once the pastries are out of the oven, use a spoon to gently press down the middle of the pastry that has puffed up, creating a small well for your filling. Let the pastries cool completely before adding the filling.
Step 9: Whip the Cream
In a bowl or jug, add the double cream/heavy cream, vanilla extract, and icing sugar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the cream until it reaches medium peaks. This means the cream will hold its shape but still be soft enough to pipe easily.
Step 10: Fill the Pastries
Once the pastries are cool, start assembling! Add a layer of strawberry jam to the bottom of the well in each pastry. Then, fill a piping bag with your whipped cream and pipe it on top until it reaches the rim of the pastry. Top with fresh, chopped strawberries or a whole strawberry for garnish.
Step 11: Optional Chocolate Drizzle
If you’d like to add a chocolatey touch, melt some milk or dark chocolate (or use a chocolate spread) and drizzle it on top of the pastries. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
Step 12: Serve and Enjoy!
Serve your strawberry pastries fresh and enjoy every bite!
Notes:
- Be sure the puff pastry is completely cool before adding the whipped cream to prevent the cream from melting.
- Whipping the cream to medium peaks means that the peaks will stand up but slightly droop over at the tips when you lift the whisk or beaters out. This texture is ideal for piping as it holds its shape but isn’t too stiff.
- You can experiment with other fruit fillings or jams if you want to mix things up!