Recipe: Strawberries 'n Cream Puff Pastry

This week I celebrated National Strawberry Day with a scrumptious strawberries ‘n cream puff pastry recipe. Who knew that this particular day was even a thing? I didn’t, but I am so glad I found out about it. Celebrating National Strawberry Day gave me a chance to create a new recipe and indulge in one of my favorite fruits: the strawberry.

If you love a recipe that’s savory and sweet and easy to create, then this is the recipe for you. I have no idea where puff pastries have been all my life, but I recently have become obsessed with them. They are super easy and basically foul-proof, which is right up my alley. And you’ll be happy to know that this recipe can be created in less than 30 minutes. This year I definitely will be creating more tasty treats with puff pastry.

What I love most about this strawberries ‘n cream puff pastry is that it can be eaten for breakfast with a cup of coffee or as a tasty dessert. No matter when you choose to eat this pastry, it’s going to make your tummy VERY happy!

Strawberries ‘n Cream Puff Pastry

Ingredients

1 Store-bought puff pastry, thawed

4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

4 oz mascarpone cheese

½ cup heavy cream

1-2 tsp vanilla extract

16 oz powdered sugar, sifted

1 pinch kosher salt

1 pint strawberries

Garnishes (see below)

Directions:

Preheat your oven according to the puff pastry package directions. Pinch together the seams and roll out the pastry into a rectangle slightly smaller than your baking sheet. Leaving a margin of about ½ inch around, pierce the center of the puff pastry with a fork in several places. If time permits, put the pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place into the freezer for a few minutes to allow the butter to firm up. (This will help keep the butter in the pastry from melting too quickly and creating lopsided pastry.) Bake until golden-brown.

While the puff pastry bakes, make the frosting. Using either a stand or hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and mascarpone. Add the cream and vanilla extract, mixing to thoroughly combine. Gradually add the powdered sugar, only adding more when the previous amount is incorporated. Add the salt. More cream can be added if the frosting is too stiff.

While the pastry cools slightly, prepare the strawberries by rinsing, hulling, and slicing them in half. Frost the pastry, using your earlier ½ margin as a boundary. Add your strawberries with the sliced side down, covering the pastry.

Suggested Garnishes

Dusting of powdered sugar

Mint leaves, thinly sliced