Description
Delightful Strawberry Puff Pastry Hearts featuring flaky, golden puff pastry filled with luscious whipped cream and fresh strawberries, finished with a decorative drizzle of chocolate syrup—a perfect romantic dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry and Egg Wash
- 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Whipped Cream Filling
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or whipped topping
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (if whipping your own cream)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- Fresh strawberries, halved
- Chocolate syrup or melted chocolate for drizzling
- Optional: sugar for sprinkling on pastry edges
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cut Puff Pastry: Lightly roll out the puff pastry sheet to smoothen it, then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes from the dough.
- Create Borders: From half of the cut hearts, carefully cut smaller hearts inside to form borders that will be layered on the full hearts for decorative effect.
- Assemble Pastries: Place the full heart shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each with egg wash for a golden finish, then layer the border hearts on top. Brush the top surfaces with more egg wash and optionally sprinkle sugar on edges for extra crunch and sweetness.
- Bake Pastries: Bake the assembled pastries in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are puffed up and golden brown. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whip Cream: In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, creating a light and fluffy filling.
- Fill and Garnish: Spoon or pipe the whipped cream onto the cooled pastries, then top with fresh halved strawberries. Finish by drizzling chocolate syrup or melted chocolate over the hearts for an elegant touch.
Notes
- Ensure the puff pastry is properly thawed but cold before working to prevent it from becoming too soft and difficult to handle.
- For an easier alternative, pre-made whipped topping can be used instead of whipping cream from scratch.
- Make sure pastries are completely cooled before adding the whipped cream to avoid melting.
- You can substitute strawberries with other fresh berries such as raspberries or blueberries for variation.
- Store assembled pastries in the refrigerator and consume within 1 day for best freshness.
