Description
Sweet strawberry pie hearts bring romantic charm to dessert tables, melting hearts with their delicate pastry and luscious berry filling. Passionate bakers can easily craft these love-infused treats that promise to enchant guests with simple ingredients and elegant presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 package (14 ounces/397 grams) refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) strawberry jam or preserves
- ½ cup (75 grams) fresh strawberries, finely diced
Binding/Coating Ingredients:
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Decoration Ingredients:
- Granulated sugar or coarse sanding sugar
- Optional: melted white or dark chocolate for drizzling
Instructions
- Craft the pastry foundation by unfolding pie dough onto a lightly dusted work surface. Utilize a heart-shaped cookie cutter to meticulously carve out symmetrical heart shapes, ensuring an equal quantity for sandwiching.
- Strategically position half of the delicate heart cutouts onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating a uniform base for filling.
- Carefully dollop strawberry jam at the center of each heart, leaving a precise border to prevent overflow during baking. Optional: Incorporate finely diced fresh strawberries for enhanced texture and flavor.
- Delicately paint the heart edges with whisked egg, creating a moisture seal for optimal closure.
- Gently overlay the remaining heart shapes, pressing edges together with fingertips to create a secure seal. Enhance the perimeter with decorative fork crimping for an elegant finish.
- Generously brush the assembled hearts with egg wash, then sprinkle granulated sugar for a glistening, caramelized exterior.
- Puncture small ventilation slits atop each heart to allow steam escape and prevent potential filling eruption.
- Transfer the baking sheet into a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven, roasting for 15-18 minutes until achieving a golden, crisp complexion.
- Allow the pastry hearts to rest momentarily on the baking sheet, facilitating initial cooling and structural stabilization.
- Optional: Embellish cooled hearts with a refined chocolate drizzle for an indulgent presentation.
- Serve these delicate strawberry pie hearts warm or at ambient temperature, perfect for intimate gatherings or romantic dessert scenarios.
Notes
- Customize your jam selection for unique flavor combinations like raspberry, apricot, or mixed berry to add personal flair.
- Keep pie crust cold before cutting to ensure clean, crisp heart shapes and prevent dough from becoming sticky.
- Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and preventing pie hearts from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting regular pie crust with almond or gluten-free flour-based pastry dough.
- Prevent soggy bottoms by ensuring minimal jam filling and crimping edges tightly to seal in delicious contents.
- Control sweetness levels by choosing less sugary jam or adding a touch of lemon zest for brightness.
- Experiment with savory variations by using cheese, herbs, or vegetable fillings for a unique twist on the classic sweet treat.
- Store cooled pie hearts in an airtight container for up to 3 days to maintain crispness and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg