Strawberry Cream Cheese Heart Pastries

The Valentine's morning my kitchen filled with buttery perfume still makes me smile. I'd seen these heart danishes everywhere online but assumed they were too finicky for a Tuesday breakfast. Standing there in my pyjamas, watching the first tray puff up in the oven, I realized sometimes the fussy recipes are actually the most rewarding ones.

My sister walked in right as I was pulling the first batch from the oven. She asked what bakery I'd visited that morning. Watching her eyes widen when I told her I'd made them was the best ego boost I'd had in months. Now they're her requested birthday breakfast every year.

Ingredients

• Frozen puff pastry sheet: Thaw this in the fridge overnight, not on the counter, to keep the butter layers cold and flaky
• 1 egg beaten: Room temperature eggs brush more evenly and give better golden color
• 115 g cream cheese softened: Leave it out for at least 30 minutes so it blends into silkiness without lumps
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar: Just enough sweetness to balance the tang without being cloying
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract: The real stuff makes a difference you can taste
• 4 tbsp strawberry preserves: Use a high quality jam with visible fruit pieces for better texture
• 100 g fresh strawberries sliced thin: These add fresh pop and keep the filling from being too sweet
• 60 g powdered sugar: Sift it first or your glaze will have stubborn lumps
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk: Start with one tablespoon and add more only if needed for drizzling consistency
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract: This tiny amount ties the whole glaze together

Instructions

Get your oven ready:

Preheat to 200°C 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Do not skip the parchment unless you enjoy scrubbing baked on sugar off your pans.

Cut those hearts:

On a lightly floured surface unfold your puff pastry and use a heart shaped cutter about 8 cm or 3 inches to cut out 16 hearts. Place 8 whole hearts on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller heart cutter about 5 cm or 2 inches to cut centers from the remaining 8 hearts creating frames.

Build the pastry layers:

Brush the edges of the whole hearts on your baking sheet with egg wash. Gently press the heart frames on top lining them up carefully. The egg wash acts like glue helping everything stick together during baking.

Make the creamy filling:

In a small bowl mix the softened cream cheese sugar and vanilla until completely smooth. Take your time here. No one wants a surprise cream cheese lump in their breakfast.

Fill the hearts:

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each heart. Top with 1/2 tablespoon strawberry preserves and arrange a few fresh strawberry slices on top. Do not overfill or the filling will bubble over during baking.

Give them a golden finish:

Brush the pastry edges with more egg wash paying attention to the cutout frames. This step is what creates that beautiful bakery shine.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until deeply golden and puffed. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. They will deflate slightly which is completely normal.

Make the drizzle:

Whisk powdered sugar milk and vanilla until smooth. The consistency should coat a spoon but still drip off easily. Drizzle generously over the cooled danishes.

Save

Last Valentine's I made these for my book club. The conversation stopped completely when I brought out the platter. There is something about heart shaped food that makes people feel special and cared for before they even take a bite.

Working With Puff Pastry

I have ruined enough puff pastry to know that working quickly is key. Keep a cold bench scraper nearby and if the dough starts getting soft or sticky pop the whole thing back in the fridge for 10 minutes. The butter needs to stay cold to create those flaky layers we all love.

Getting The Heart Shape Right

The first time I tried this freehand and ended up with blobs that looked more like misshapen blobs than hearts. Invest in proper cutters or print a paper template to trace. The top frames should line up precisely with the bottom hearts for the neatest look.

Make Ahead Strategy

You can cut and assemble the danishes the night before and refrigerate them on the baking sheet covered tightly. In the morning brush with egg wash and bake. They may need an extra minute or two in the oven coming from the fridge.

• The cream cheese filling can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge
• Baked danishes are best eaten the same day but can be stored loosely covered overnight
• Refresh day old danishes in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes to recrisp the pastry

Save

There is something deeply satisfying about turning a simple frozen pastry sheet into something that looks this impressive. Plus the way the kitchen smells while these bake is pretty much happiness in scent form.

Recipe FAQs

→ What type of pastry works best for these heart danishes?

Frozen puff pastry works perfectly for these heart danishes. It provides the flaky, golden texture that makes these pastries so appealing. Make sure to thaw it according to package directions before using.

→ Can I use different fruit preserves?

Absolutely! While strawberry preserves work beautifully, you can substitute with raspberry, apricot, or even cherry preserves for different flavor variations. Each will create a delicious twist on the original recipe.

→ How do I get the heart shape perfect?

Using heart-shaped cookie cutters of different sizes helps create the layered heart effect. Press gently when cutting to maintain the pastry's structure, and use an egg wash to help the layers adhere during baking.

→ What's the best way to serve these pastries?

These heart danishes are best served warm or at room temperature. They pair wonderfully with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk. For extra indulgence, serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

→ Can I make these ahead of time?

You can prepare the pastries through step 6 and refrigerate them overnight. Bake the next day for fresh, golden pastries. The glaze can be prepared and drizzled just before serving for best results.