Strawberry Puff Pastry

Strawberry Puff Pastry is the ultimate spring and summer dessert, the one I make when fresh strawberries are at their best. It comes together easily with store-bought puff pastry, a simple vanilla cream, and juicy strawberries. It's ready in under an hour and always the first thing gone at the table. Simple for a weeknight, but elegant enough for special occasions or family BBQ parties.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Strawberry Puff Pastry Stacks
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Recipe Variations
• Storage and Freezing Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Strawberry Puff Pastry

While the strawberries are still in the season, I wanted to share my easy-to-make perfect summertime dessert which has been a family favorite for over 20 years.

Just like my No-Bake Strawberry Tiramisu, these light and flaky Strawberry Puff Pastries are not only easy to make but are also versatile. You can fill them with your choice of cream, also you can replace the strawberries with other berries or bananas.

If you'd rather watch than read, here's a quick video that walks through the whole process.

I use the same recipe for the diplomat creme that I use for French Strawberry Tart and Chocolate Eclair Cake with Choux Pastry but you can use simple creme patissiere (pastry cream) or creme chantilly.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Same as the Basque Burnt Cheesecake (San Sebastian Cheesecake) and Easy Sticky Toffee Pudding, this strawberry puff pastry is easy to make, looks impressive, and is always a crowd pleaser.

• One portion has only 280 kcal.

• All you need is 11 oz/320 grams of rolled puff pastry to make 10 individual napoleon-style pastry stacks.

• You can prepare them a couple of days in advance, they will keep fresh for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

• You don't need any pastry training for this one. Shop bought puff pastry does the hard work, so you get that crisp, French bakery style crunch without laminating dough by hand.

• The crisp pastry and cool vanilla cream give you real texture contrast in every bite, not just a soft, one note dessert.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Puff pastry - I use a rolled-up all-butter puff pastry sheet size of (35cmx23cm / 14"x 9") (11 oz/320 grams). You can buy them fresh or frozen from supermarkets. If using frozen, let it thaw before using and bring it to room temperature.

• Milk - I prefer using full-fat milk for making creme patissiere.

• Butter - Use good quality unsalted butter. It adds shine and flavor to the pastry creme.

• Egg yolks - They add richness and provide structure.

• Vanilla paste - I use organic vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract for deep and delicious vanilla flavor. Avoid using artificial vanilla for this recipe.

• Sugar - Both granulated and caster sugar works great with this recipe.

• Flour - I use plain flour and mix it with cornflour to thicken the pastry cream. You can swap it for cornflour alone to make the cream itself gluten-free, but you'll also need a gluten-free puff pastry sheet, since regular puff pastry is made with wheat flour.

• Cream - You can use double cream/heavy cream or whipping cream to make the creme Chantilly. Make sure it is cold before whisking and keep it refrigerated until you need it.

• Strawberries - Use fresh strawberries as the frozen ones wouldn't work with this recipe. You can substitute them with raspberries or any berries when it is not the strawberry season.

How to Make Strawberry Puff Pastry Stacks

Prepare the Creme Diplomat

Place the milk, butter, and vanilla paste in a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer on low heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the mixture becomes pale and thick.

Add the flour along with the cornflour and then whisk to combine.

Add half of the hot milk into the flour-egg mixture, whisking well, and return the mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.

Return the saucepan to heat and cook until it thickens on medium heat, whisking continuously. Let it boil for a minute stirring continuously then remove it from the heat.

Let it cool down to room temperature. When the pastry cream has reached room temperature, place the double cream in a large bowl, and start whipping it until you reach stiff peaks.

Don’t worry if your pastry cream is a bit of a blob after chilling. Whisking it up by hand or with an electric mixer will fix that right up.

Whisk the pastry cream to loosen, then fold in the whipped cream gently in 2 stages.

Cook the Puff Pastry

Preheat the oven to 375° F - 190° C (fan oven). Unroll the store-bought puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. You don't need a rolling pin for this stage.

Cut into 10 equal rectangular pieces. You can use a ruler if you want them the perfect and the same size.

Place the cut pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Cook them for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let the cooked puff pastries cool down before filling them with the creme diplomat.

Build the Strawberry Pastries

Carefully split the puff pastry rectangles in half using a small pallet knife or knife. Place 1- 1 ½ tablespoon of diplomat cream on top of half of the puff pastry sheet and spread a couple of spoonfuls of strawberries on top. 

Carefully place the other puff pastry sheet on top. Repeat the same for all of the puff pastries.

Sprinkle on some icing sugar using a small sieve and then place a piece of strawberry for garnish.

• Assemble the pastry stacks just before serving to keep them from getting soggy.

Recipe Variations

• Swap out the strawberries for other fresh fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches.

• Add a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel sauce over the pastry stacks for an extra decadent touch.

• Mix in some chopped nuts, such as pistachios or almonds, to the diplomat creme for added crunch.

• Sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the top of the pastry stacks before serving for a pretty finishing touch.

• Use a different type of pastry, such as phyllo dough or pie crust, for a unique twist on this favorite simple summer recipe.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Once assembled, strawberry puff pastry stacks are best eaten within a few hours, since the pastry starts to soften once it touches the cream and fruit. If you do have leftovers, keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days, though the pastry will lose some of its crispness over time.

To freeze, bake the pastry rectangles and let them cool completely, but don't fill them. Store the unfilled pastry in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then fill with the diplomat cream and strawberries just before serving. The diplomat cream itself can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more easy yet delicious sweet treats why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy making these scrumptious Strawberry Puff Pastry Stacks with Cream as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂