courtesy Taste of Home
Puff pastry gets a bad rap. It’s not that hard to work with.
Maybe there is a subliminal association with filo dough. That takes some practice.
Here’s an elegant, heart-shaped dessert that’s sure to impress your Valentine. It is made with puff pastry, cut into the shape of hearts.
Two hearts are filled with custard and sandwiched together. A romantic notion, now that I think of it.
This dessert looks so impressive, you might even want to start dinner with it.
And then see where things go from there...
Puff Pastry Hearts 3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 to 1 teaspoon rum extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 packages (17.3 ounces each) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 jar (12 ounces) seedless raspberry preserves
2 cups fresh raspberries
Confectioners' sugar
1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
2. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in extracts. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until chilled.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold into custard. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a lightly floured 3-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter.
4. Place 1 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
5. Just before serving, warm preserves in a small saucepan; drizzle some onto dessert plates. Split puff pastry hearts in half. Place bottom halves on plates; spread each with 2 tablespoons of filling. Replace tops; drizzle with remaining preserves. Garnish with raspberries and confectioners' sugar.
- adapted from Taste of Home, submitted by Sarah Vasques of Milford, New Hampshire.
