Description
Delightful heart-shaped pastries filled with sweet strawberry or cherry jam, baked to golden perfection and topped with a creamy, colorful frosting. Perfect for special occasions or as a charming treat to share with loved ones.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 package refrigerated pie crust
- 1/2 cup strawberry or cherry jam
- 1 egg, white only
Frosting
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Food coloring (1 drop of red for pink frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400º Fahrenheit to ensure it reaches the optimal temperature for baking the pastries.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Unroll the refrigerated pie crusts and smooth them out until flattened. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking liner to prevent sticking.
- Cut Shapes: Cut the rolled pie crust into either 3 x 4.5-inch strips or use heart-shaped cutters to form 3 to 4-inch heart shapes. These will become your pastries.
- Add Jam Filling: Place about 1½ tablespoons of strawberry or cherry jam in the center of half of the cut pastries. These will serve as the bottom layers.
- Prepare Top Pastries: For the top pieces without jam, use a fork to poke venting holes in the center to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Seal Pastries: Brush water around the edges of the jam-filled pastries using a pastry brush or your finger. Gently place the top pastry onto the bottom one, aligning edges carefully. Press your finger around the edges to seal, then crimp with a fork to ensure they are secure.
- Egg Wash: Mix 1 tablespoon of egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush this mixture over the tops of the pastries to promote a golden, glossy finish.
- Bake Pastries: Place the pastries in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Once baked, transfer them to a wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Prepare Frosting: Combine the confectioners sugar and heavy cream, mixing until smooth and creamy. Add one drop of your chosen food coloring—in this recipe, red is used to tint the frosting pink.
- Frost Pastries: Once cooled, frost or drizzle the colored frosting over the pastries for a festive and sweet finishing touch before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute the strawberry or cherry jam with any other jam flavor you prefer.
- Make sure to seal the pastries well to prevent the jam from leaking during baking.
- Use a wire rack for cooling to keep the bottoms crisp.
- Food coloring can be adjusted to create different frosting colors for various occasions.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream or a plant-based milk thickened with powdered sugar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
