Description
Flaky, creamy, sweet, and sharp—these cheddar & strawberry jam pastries do it all! Sharp cheddar cheese sits over a bed of strawberry jam, all wrapped in puff pastry with sliced almonds, and then baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 sheets of store-bought puff pastry, thawed (490g)
- Strawberry Jam
- ~3/4 cup (180g) total, 1 tbsp for each pastry (20g)
- Extra Sharp Cheddar (from Cabot Creamery)
-
- 4oz total (113g), cut into 8 equal pieces (13-15g each)
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- One large egg (50g), lightly whisked for an egg wash
- Sliced almonds to sprinkle overtop
Instructions
- Prep a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Gently roll out both puff pastry sheets (using flour as needed) until roughly 12×14 inches. Place them on top of each other and trim the edges so they’re even. Keep them stacked and cut into 8 equal rectangles.
- Unstack the pieces and place separated onto your baking sheet. Chill for 15 minutes in fridge while you prep the other ingredients: cut your cheese slices, get the jam ready, and whisk your egg.
- Take your pastry out of the fridge. Egg wash around the border of half, spread a tablespoon of strawberry jam in the middle of each pastry with the egg wash (leaving the border untouched), and then place your cheddar blocks on top of the jam.
- Place the other pastry halves overtop, pressing down around the edges to help seal them. With a fork, poke 4 holes in the tops of each (to let steam escape during the bake) and then crimp the edges to further help seal. Trim the edges again if desired for a cleaner look.
- Chill these in the fridge for another 15 minutes. Then, generously brush each with your egg wash, sprinkle with the sliced almonds, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 23-25 minutes (or desired browning). Let cool slightly before serving.
These are best enjoyed and served same-day, but will keep at room temperature for a few days stored in an airtight container.
Notes
- Don’t Skip the Chill Steps: this ensures the butter in your pastry stays cold, which in turn will give you taller/flakier pastry. It also makes it easier to handle and assemble your pastry throughout the process!
- Seal Those Edges: really press down around/crimp those borders to keep the cheddar and jam sealed inside. Don’t fret if one or two leaks a little—it happens! Chilling the dough before it bakes helps prevent this too.
- See some tips in the blog below to help you assemble and bake these cuties!