Here is a recipe that I made up a while ago, for the purpose of having something impressive looking but quick to make at a party.  I didn’t have a lot of time to make something special, so this is what I came up with… And, happy day, they were superb. 

Here’s how to make them!

Cherry Pastries
(Makes 18)

Ingredients:
1 box (2 pre-rolled sheets, 450 grams) butter puff pastry, thawed and chilled
1 (540 mL) can cherry pie filling
Icing sugar

(1)  Assemble your ingredients. Yes, all 3 of them.

(2)  Open the box.  I know, I know… you’re probably panicking at this point, thinking thoughts like, “What is she CRAZY?? Don’t get all technical on me now!” …But be brave. You can do it. I believe in you.

(3)  Unroll the pastry.

(4)  Using a sharp knife, cut the first sheet of pastry into 9 segments.

(5)  Take one of your segments and cut a small square around the edge, leaving a border about 1/4 inch thick around the outside.

Tip: UNLIKE these pictures, I find that leaving two of the corners (opposite each other) slightly connected is helpful.

(6)  Using a little bit of water and your finger, moisten the edges around the small square of pastry. Now carefully fold one corner of the outside rim over to the opposite end of the inside square– lightly press to fasten the pieces together. Repeat with the opposite corner.

(7)  At this point, your pastry square should look like this (see photo below). Set the completed piece aside, and repeat with the remaining 8 squares of pastry. Now preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

(8)  Repeat the whole process with the unopened package of pastry, unrolling, cutting, cutting again, folding, and sealing as before.

(9)  Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Cool on wire racks.

While your pastry is cooling, gather up all of your toppings. I am using cherry pie filling, but you can use any type of fruit pie filling or jam. 

(10)  Using a regular teaspoon, spoon 3-4 cherries into the center of each cooled diamond. Lay out on wax paper sheets for sugar dusting.

Tip: To make these like a Cherry-Cheese danish, soften about 8 oz. (226g) of cream cheese and beat it with 1/3 c. (about 50g) icing sugar and 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla; then spoon or pipe a little of that into each pastry with about 2 cherries instead of 3-4.

(11)  Dust with icing sugar using a sieve or sifter. (The fruit filling will absorb the sugar on top and not be visible on the finished product.)

There you have it! As is true of all pastries, making them on the day you want to serve them is the best way to go; however, if you MUST, you can bake the pastry a day ahead and do the rest just before you serve them.

I’d love to hear if you make these!  Let me know how they turn out, or what creative variations you used for them. I feel like you could do something magical with chocolate… Feel free to dream.  🙂

Enjoy! Back soon.

–Naomi