Strawberries & Cream Bunny Pastry

Quick Recipe Overview

Yield:

• Makes 8 medium bunny pastries (two halves per bunny)

• Active prep: 35–45 minutes
• Chill/holding time: 1–2 hours (includes pastry cream chilling)
• Bake: 18–22 minutes at 200°C/400°F (adjust for convection)

• Difficulty: Intermediate — requires basic lamination/puff pastry handling and pastry cream technique
• Desired crust: Even golden-brown, clearly separated layers, crisp exterior
• Filling texture: Smooth, slightly thick pastry cream with tender macerated strawberry pieces for contrast

• Puff pastry must remain cold until baking; warm dough causes poor rise.
• Pastry cream should hold soft peaks when chilled; if runny, cook slightly longer to thicken.
• Strawberries should be juicy but not watery; macerate with minimal sugar and drain excess liquid.

Gathering Ingredients

Puff pastry & dough choices:

• Use high-quality frozen puff pastry (all-butter preferred) for the best flavor and rise; thaw in the refrigerator for 2–3 hours.
• If making laminated dough from scratch, keep butter block below 10°C and chill dough between folds.

• Choose firm, ripe strawberries with bright color; hull and slice to uniform size (about 1/4–1/2 inch).
• Macerate with 1–2 teaspoons granulated sugar per cup of sliced berries for 10–15 minutes; drain off excess syrup to avoid soggy pastry.

• Whole milk, egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch (or flour), unsalted butter, and vanilla.
• Use cornstarch for a silkier, quicker set; reserve a splash of hot milk to temper yolks before returning to the pan.

• Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk for shine and color.
• Optional glaze: apricot jam thinned with a teaspoon of water for brushing over baked pastry to add shine and seal in moisture.

• Greek yogurt can be folded into cooled pastry cream (up to 20%) for tang but add just before serving to avoid thinning.
• Use superfine sugar in cream for faster dissolving and smoother texture.

Equipment and Prep Techniques

Essential tools:

• Baking sheet(s) lined with parchment or silicone—ensures even browning and easy release.
• Sharp pastry cutter or small bunny-shaped cookie cutter to create consistent shapes.
• Bench scraper and rolling pin for handling and trimming dough.
• Fine mesh sieve for straining pastry cream to remove any cooked egg bits.

• Keep all surfaces lightly floured but avoid excess flour that will prevent proper lamination rise.
• Work quickly: transfer cut shapes to the baking sheet and chill for 15–20 minutes before egg-washing to firm the butter layers.

• Make pastry cream and chill it in a shallow container covered with plastic pressed to the surface to prevent a skin.
• Use a hand blender briefly after chilling to re-smooth before piping; do not over-whip.

• Slice and macerate strawberries 10–30 minutes before assembly; drain any excess syrup to keep pastry crisp.
• Reserve a few whole or halved berries for garnish if desired.

• Preheat oven at least 20 minutes to ensure stable temperature; use an oven thermometer for accuracy.
• If using a convection oven, reduce temperature by 20°C/25°F and check early for color to prevent overbrowning.

Assembling the Bunny Pastries

Cutting and shaping:

• Roll each puff pastry sheet to an even thickness of about 2.5–3 mm; consistent thickness ensures even rise.
• Use a bunny-shaped cutter or two stacked oval cutters to create the body and separate small ear shapes; for a two-part assembly, cut a base and a top layer with ears outlined.

• Place the base shape on parchment; pipe a ring of chilled pastry cream about 1 cm from the edge to create a well for strawberries (this prevents leaking).
• Fill the center with macerated strawberry pieces, leaving a small border; avoid overfilling to maintain seal during baking.

• Brush the edge of the base with a light egg wash to act as glue, then place the top layer gently and press edges with a fork or crimping tool for a tight seal.
• Create small strategic vents on the top—two for the ears, one for the body—to let steam escape without letting filling ooze out.

• Chill assembled pastries 15–20 minutes after egg wash to firm the butter layers; apply a second thin egg wash immediately before placing in the oven for a glossy finish.
• Optional: sprinkle coarse sugar on ears for sparkle but avoid the body where jam glaze will adhere after baking.

• Space pastries at least 2 inches apart; hot air needs room to circulate for even lift and browning.
• Use an insulated baking sheet or place on the middle rack; top rack may brown too quickly, bottom rack can prevent puffing.

Baking, Temperature, and Timing

Oven settings and adjustments:

• Preheat to 200°C/400°F for conventional ovens; if using convection, reduce 20°C/25°F and monitor color starting at 14 minutes.
• Position rack in the middle to allow even heat circulation; rotate the baking sheet once at the halfway mark for uniform browning.

• Surface should be deep golden-brown and feel crisp to the touch; undercooked pastry will feel soft and doughy.
• Look for distinct separation of layers on the sides—clear lamination signals proper rise.

• If puffing is uneven, ensure dough was properly chilled; briefly return to fridge for 10–15 minutes and then bake.
• If filling leaks: either overfill or insufficient crimping; for future batches, reduce filling volume and apply a firmer seal.
• If bottoms brown too fast, transfer to a higher rack or place on an insulated baking sheet.

• Cool pastries on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before glazing to avoid melting the pastry cream.
• If using apricot glaze, warm it and brush lightly while pastry is still slightly warm to help adhesion without softening the crust excessively.

• Serve at room temperature for optimal texture; chilling sets the cream but can slightly reduce the crispness of pastry—reheat briefly if needed.

Filling: Making and Using Pastry Cream & Strawberries

Pastry cream method (basic proportions for ~2 cups):

• Ingredients: 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 large egg yolks, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Heat milk to simmering, reserve 1/4 cup to temper the yolks, whisk yolks with sugar and cornstarch until pale, slowly whisk in reserved hot milk, then return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick and bubbling.

• Once thick, remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla for a glossy finish; strain through a fine mesh into a shallow pan.
• Press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin and chill rapidly in an ice bath for speed, then refrigerate until at least slightly firm (2+ hours).

• For piping stability, fold in 1/2 cup softly whipped heavy cream to the cooled pastry cream; this lightens texture and prevents collapse.
• For a firmer set without dairy folding, increase cornstarch by 1 tablespoon or cook 1–2 minutes longer while whisking to reach a thicker consistency.

• Slice berries uniformly; toss with a teaspoon of sugar and a small squeeze of lemon for brightness; macerate 10–15 minutes and drain most liquid—reserve a tablespoon of syrup if glazing later.
• For chunkier mouthfeel, reserve larger berry pieces and fold into cream just before filling; for a jammy interior, lightly simmer berries with sugar for 3–4 minutes and cool.

• Pipe a ring of pastry cream 1 cm from the edge, add 1–2 tablespoons of drained strawberries per pastry to avoid overloading, then cap with top layer and finish baking as instructed.
• For après-bake filling, use a small offset spatula or piping bag with a narrow tip to inject cream and add a few slices of fresh strawberry on top for visual appeal.

Finishing Touches, Glaze, and Storage

Glaze and decoration options:

• Apricot glaze: thin 2 tablespoons apricot jam with 1 teaspoon warm water and strain; brush lightly over warm pastry for shine and to seal crumbs.
• Powdered sugar dusting: sift over cooled pastries for a soft finish—do this just before serving to avoid dissolved sugar on moist areas.
• Optional chocolate detail: use melted dark chocolate to paint small eyes or nose; pipe with a fine-tipped disposable bag.

• If you prefer maximum crispness, bake empty puff shapes with vents, then fill with cooled cream and strawberries after baking.
• If baking filled pastries, ensure cream is thick and strawberries are well drained to prevent sogginess.

• Allow pastries to cool on a rack 15–20 minutes before glazing; if filled after baking, chill 30 minutes to let cream set and flavors meld.
• Serve at room temperature for tender cream and optimal flavor; a 10–15 minute rewarm in a 150°C/300°F oven can re-crisp crust if refrigerated.

• Short term: refrigerate in a single layer up to 48 hours; store loosely covered to keep crisp edges but protect cream from odors.
• Freezing: for longer storage, freeze unbaked assembled pastries on a tray until solid, then transfer to airtight container; bake from frozen with an extra 4–6 minutes, watching color.
• Avoid freezing pastries after filled with fresh strawberries; thawing causes fruit to release water and soften pastry.

• Re-crisp refrigerated pastries by reheating in a 150°C/300°F oven for 8–10 minutes; do not use microwave to avoid soggy texture.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Can I use store-bought puff pastry?

• Yes. Use high-quality all-butter frozen puff pastry for best flavor and lift; thaw in the refrigerator, not at room temperature, to keep butter layers firm.

• Drain macerated strawberries well and use a pastry cream ring to hold fruit away from edges; bake on a preheated middle rack and consider blind-baking bases briefly when using very juicy fruit.

• Yes: bake vented shells until golden, cool completely, then fill with chilled pastry cream and fresh strawberries to maximize crispness.

• Pastry cream keeps 2–3 days refrigerated if sealed; sliced macerated strawberries are best used same day; assembled filled pastries are best eaten within 24–48 hours.

• Return to a saucepan, whisk over medium heat until it reaches a full simmer and thickens; cornstarch thickens quickly—add 1 teaspoon dissolved in cold water if needed, and cook 1–2 minutes more.

• Bake shells ahead and store in airtight container; prepare pastry cream and strawberries separately and assemble shortly before serving to keep pastry crisp and filling fresh.

• For dairy-free: use dairy-free puff pastry and a pastry cream made with plant milk and a starch thickener; texture will differ—test set before assembling.

• Place in a single layer in a rigid container with minimal headspace; use parchment dividers and avoid stacking. Keep chilled until an hour before serving for best texture.