Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Gently unfold your thawed puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. If your pastry is very thick, you can carefully roll it out a little thinner, about 1/8-inch thick, being careful not to tear it.1 sheet (approx. 9.5 oz or 267g) frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter (or two different-sized heart cutters for a layered effect), cut out as many heart shapes as you can from the puff pastry. You’ll typically get about 6-8 large hearts or more smaller ones from a single sheet. Re-roll any scraps gently once to make additional hearts, but avoid overworking the dough.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a fork or a small whisk until smooth and creamy. This no-bake filling is quick and requires no cooking.4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For filled hearts, take one puff pastry heart and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the center. Do not overfill, or it will ooze out during baking. Place another puff pastry heart on top of the filling. Using the tines of a fork, gently press around the edges of the top and bottom hearts to seal them together. You can also cut slits in the top pastry to allow steam to escape.4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 sheet (approx. 9.5 oz or 267g) frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- Alternatively, you can simply bake the puff pastry hearts and then fill them or top them after baking. For a simpler approach, just cut out your hearts and proceed to baking, then fill or top once cooled.
- If you’re adding a sweet crust, lightly brush the tops of the puff pastry hearts with a little water or melted butter. Sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. For a spiced flavor, mix the granulated sugar with cinnamon before sprinkling.1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (optional, for a spiced version)
- Place the cut puff pastry hearts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they have a little space between them. For filled hearts, make sure they are well sealed.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the puff pastry hearts for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown, puffed up, and crisp. The exact baking time will depend on the size of your hearts and your oven.
- Once baked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the Puff Pastry Hearts Dessert cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If you opted for filled hearts, now is the time to serve them. If you baked them plain, carefully cut them in half horizontally (like a sandwich bun) and fill the inside with the cream cheese mixture. Top with fresh berries like sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. A dusting of confectioners' sugar or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce adds an extra touch of indulgence.Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) for topping, Confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional), Chocolate sauce or caramel sauce for drizzling (optional), 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
Store un-filled pastry at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate filled pastries. Reheat plain pastry at 300°F (150°C) for 5-7 minutes for crispness.
