Valentines Day. What comes to mind? Hearts. Chocolate. Desserts. Love and enjoyment and good company. These treats go perfect after that fancy candlelit dinner, and they’re surprisingly easy to make, too.
What makes these homemade cream puffs so great? Puff pastry makes for a light and flaky treat, homemade whipped cream gives a richer flavor than store-bought stuff from a can, and of course, you can’t beat fresh berries.
Now, you don’t need to make them heart-shaped. Circles work just fine, if that’s the kind of cutter you have on hand. Or, if you don’t have one at all, you can do simple rectangles or squares. Hearts just fit for the holiday, right?
In fact, there’s a bit of waste if you use hearts, because puff pastry like this can’t just be rolled back out like a pie crust. That’s why I made some little circles too, and the bite-sized bits are just as good as the bigger cream puffs.
Enough of me rambling. How do you make an easy cream puff?
Easy Cream Puffs for Valentine’s Day
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Cookie Cutter Heart shaped for maximum Valentines
- Pastry Brush
- Stand Mixer
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 Sheet Puff Pastry Thawed but kept cool.
- 1 Egg Beaten
- 1 Tbsp Milk
- ½ Tsp Sugar
- ½ Cup Nutella
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar Plus extra for dusting.
- ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
- Strawberries As many as you need.
Instructions
- Don't forget to thaw your puff pastry according to the box!
- Preheat your oven to 400℉. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unroll your puff pastry and, using your cookie cutter, cut as many of your chosen shape as you can. Minimize scraps when possible, since you can't really re-use the dough. You can save and use the scraps for something else, just not this recipe.1 Sheet Puff Pastry
- Beat your egg and milk together to make an egg wash. Transfer your puff pastry shapes to the baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. Sprinkle your granulated sugar over the top. Then, bake these for 10 minutes, until nicely golden.1 Egg, 1 Tbsp Milk, ½ Tsp Sugar
- Remove from the oven and let the puff pastry fully cool.
- Carefully cut the pastry in half horizontally, sandwich style. Spread a thin layer of Nutella across the bottom half and set them aside.½ Cup Nutella
- Make your whipped cream by adding the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to your stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream onto your Nutella-covered bottoms.1 Cup Heavy Cream, 1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar, ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
- Slice and layer strawberries on top of the whipped cream, add the tops of the puff pastry back on, and keep cool until ready to serve. Enjoy with your special someone!Strawberries
Okay, yes, I know these aren’t real cream puffs. They’re puff pastry instead of choux and the cream isn’t piped in. But, we’re making a quick treat for Valentine’s Day, not a Bake-Off showstopper here! They’re still really tasty either way.