So lately I've been loving mascarpone cheese. Have you tried it? It's like cream cheese but sweeter, without the slight tangy taste. It's my new go to ingredient with frostings and I thought it would be fun to slather it on a buttery, flaky puff pastry. Oh my word is this good. It's light and sweet but rich and indulgent at the same time.
This Strawberry Mascarpone Puff Pastry is all about flavor and texture. The sweetness and juiciness of the strawberries mixed with the creaminess of the mascarpone cheese combined with the flakiness of the puff pastry, I think you see where I'm going with this.
One of the things that is so great about this recipe is that it tastes indulgent and looks impressive but is so easy and approachable. Sure you can make your own puff pastry dough if you prefer but the store bought kind is just as flaky and beautiful. The creamy mascarpone cheese layer is quick and easy to come together, you just add sugar and some vanilla and almond extract to the cheese and beat it together, easy peasy. The strawberry topping is just the same, super easy. All you'll need to do is dice up some fresh strawberries, add a little sugar to them and simmer them over low heat for about 15 minutes. You'll add in some water and cornstarch to thicken them up but that's it! Totally doable and it's so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry sheets use both, slightly thawed
- 2 8 oz tubs of mascarpone cheese
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups fresh strawberries diced
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the puff pastry from package and allow to thaw for 10 to 15 minutes. Once thawed, use a sharp knife to score a rectangle around the edges of the puff pastry, creating a border about ½ inch to ¾ inch from the edges. Do not cut all the way through. Take a fork and poke holes throughout the center of the puff pastry. Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the puff pastry to cool for 10 minutes, the center puff up during baking so you may have to push it down with your hands once it's cooled.
- Prep the strawberries and make the mascarpone filling: Rinse and cut the strawberries into smaller pieces. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries, set aside. In a separate, large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese and sugar, beat on medium speed using a handheld mixer for 1 to 2 minutes or until combined. Add in the extracts and beat for another minute. Set mascarpone mixture aside.
- Heat a saucepan over low medium heat. Add in the strawberries, stirring occasionally for about 10 to 15 minutes, you may need to adjust your heat closer to medium to get the strawberries to bubble and break down, your looking for a jam like texture. In a small cup combine the cornstarch and cold water, stirring it together to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the cornstarch/liquid mixture to the strawberries, stirring it together to combine. Strawberries will start thicken. Remove saucepan from heat and transfer the strawberries to a bowl to cool.
- Assemble: Scoop half of the mascarpone cheese mixture onto one of the puff pastries and smooth it out. Add the remaining mascarpone cheese to the other puff pastry. Spoon strawberry mixture over the mascarpone layer of each puff pastry. Pastries can be cut into slices and served immediately.