Homemade Strawberry Crossover Puff Pastries

Berry Puff Pastry Recipe Update June 2015. The method for using the dowel depicted in the original photos below makes it easy to have a uniform cut for the crossovers. However we have found we often skip using a dowel. Just free-hand the cuts and transfer of the dough to the baking sheet. Both methods work great so use which ever you prefer. We also have examples of two different types of puff pastry doughs. One is with homemade puff pastry (light background images with strawberry filling). The other is with store bought frozen puff pastry (darker background images with mixed berry filling).The above photo is made with frozen puff pastry dough . Below berry pastry made with homemade puff pastry dough 

Easy Berry Puff Pastry Recipe

Wake up early one morning and one’s love (who is normally just a salt person) requests a breakfast sweet, there are three main options:  Feign early morning incomprehension. Go out and buy something. Make a breakfast pastry for the love of your life.

A one who loves to bake and has an affinity for spoiling those he loves only has one choice that won’t haunt the recesses of his heart and soul; fire the oven and bake up a flaky delight.

The fridge hadn’t been resupplied for a few days, but there were still enough basic supplies hanging around the kitchen to make something up.  Fresh berries. Milk. Eggs. Sugar. Some homemade puff pastry dough in the freezer (doesn’t everyone have that stocked in the icebox? ). Yeah, there was something to work with here.

Using the puff pastry as a base, some pastry cream would be quick to make, combine it all together to be enraptured by the fresh berries, and bake.  Easy.  The “proof” setting on the oven would speed up the thawing of the frozen puff pastry dough to about 15 minutes so it wouldn’t take long too get things underway. The only thing left to be decided was the form of the pastry.

Turning to the household baking Bible, The Professional Pastry Chef, a few flips of the pages brought up Bo’s cherry crossovers.  A cherry filling wrapped in puff pastry with enticing slits allowing its sweet center to peak through.  What a perfect way to package the fresh berries!  Soon the sweet scent of puff pastry and strawberries baking filled the morning kitchen air, arousing the dogs and mingling with the aroma of the daily cappuccinos.

Does it even need to be said that the end result was heavenly?  Flaky, buttery puff pastry combined with smooth, slightly sweet pastry cream, all serving as a backdrop to the sweet, slightly tangy, tartness of the strawberries. Someone was a very lucky this morning.

Todd

updated method using frozen puff pastry dough without the dowel: 

original method with using the dowel & with the homemade puff pastry recipe : 

Wrap the dough around the dowel, slice the strips, and transfer to baking sheet

Spread pastry cream, fill with berries, and cross

After crossing, press with dowel to seal, and brush with egg wash

above photo is made with frozen puff pastry dough

Berry Crossover Recipe

Yield: 12 Pastries

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Inspired by Bo Friberg's Cherry Crossover in The Professional Pastry Chef.

Recipe Update June 2015: The method for using the dowel depicted in the original photos in the post above makes it easy to have a uniform cut for the crossovers. However we have found we often skip using a dowel and just free-hand the cuts and transfer of the dough to the baking sheet. Both methods work great so use which ever you prefer. For using a dowel for the cuts and transfer, see the note below the recipe for instructions. Please see post images for step-by-step. It may be very helpful for visualizing how to cut and fold the crossovers.

If you like your pastries on the sweeter side, toss the berries with sugar to taste before filling the pastries with them.

4.87 from 23 votes

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Ingredients

Pastry Cream Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar (60g)
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (15g)
• pinch of salt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup milk (240ml)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Berry Crossover Ingredients

• 1 pound Puff Pastry (455g) , if dough is frozen allow to thaw for 20-30 minutes or until pliable
• 1 pound fresh berries (455g) , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (blueberries can be left whole)
• optional-sugar , to taste - see headnote
• 1 cup Pastry Cream (recipe above)
• Egg Wash (1 egg white beat w/ 1 tablespoon water)
• Powdered Sugar (optional)

Instructions 

Pastry Cream Directions

• Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl.  Whisk together then add egg yolks and mix until smooth. Set aside.
• Put milk in a thick bottomed saucepan. Bring up to a simmer, stirring frequently to keep the milk from burning to the bottom of the pan. After the milk begins to simmer, remove from the heat and pour about 1/3 of the hot milk to the egg/sugar mix, whisking rapidly. Then pour the tempered egg/sugar/milk mix back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
• Return the saucepan to the stovetop and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and thickens to a pudding-like consistency.  Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Set aside and cover with a piece of wax or baking paper to keep a skin from forming. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator until needed. Can be kept in fridge for 3-4 days when used for baking.

Berry Crossover Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Keeping the puff pastry dough lightly dusted with flour, roll out half of the dough (keep other half in the refrigerator until ready to use) to 1/8-inch thick and in a 9-inch x 9-inch square (if using store bought puff pastry, this is often the size each 1/2 pound section comes in. Just thaw to a workable pliability and dust with flour.) Trim the edges of the dough to form straight edges if needed.
• Cut the dough in 1/2 lengthwise and 3rds crosswise (you'll have six 4.5-inch x 3-inch rectangles). Along the long edges of each rectangle, cut strips about 1-inch long and 1/2-inch wide -see note below for alternate cutting method. Be sure to slice all the way through the bottom layer. Place the rectangles on a prepared baking sheet pan. Repeat the rolling and scoring of the dough with the remaining 1/2 pound of puff pastry.
• Spread about 1 tablespoon of pastry cream on down the middle of each rectangle. If adding extra sugar to the berries (see headnote), toss with sugar to taste. Place a layer of berries on top of the pastry cream.
• Face the rectangles so the cut edges are on the left and right. Begin at the bottom, cross one strip over the pastry cream and berries. Cross the opposite side strip over the first strip. Continue this alternating left and right, making sure each strip is overlapping the previous opposite side to help lock it in. Do this down the length of each pastry and for all of the pastries.
• Press down a little going the length of each pastry to help seal and lock the strips together. Brush with egg wash.
• Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden.  If necessary, a sheet of parchment paper can be draped over the top of the crossovers if the tops are cooking faster than the rest of pastry.
• Allow to cool, dust with powdered sugar if desired and enjoy.

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 256kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 114mg, Potassium: 92mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 61IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Baking, Breakfast/Brunch, Oven

Calories: 256

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