A homemade jam is made with frozen berries and its pleasant tartness balances the buttery pastry and sweet icing.
Use the processed dried fruit immediately after pulsing to avoid it soaking up any moisture and clumping.
The icing eventually sets enough to package these together if youve got a bake sale on the horizon.
Photo:Antonis Achilleos
If youre short on time, skip the homemade jam and jump straight into rolling the puff pastry.
Use your favorite store-bought berry jam for the filling.
Line 2 large-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place berries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring often and mashing berries, until fruit is mostly broken down, about 10 minutes.
Stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl.
Whisk mixture into fruit in saucepan.
Simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute.
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
Whisk egg and milk in a small bowl.
Place 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface.
Roll into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle.
Cut into 16 (3-by-4-inch) rectangles.
Place on prepared baking sheets.
Roll and cut second pastry sheet to match.
Place a heaping tablespoon of fruit filling in center of 1 pastry rectangle.
Crimp edges with a fork.
Repeat with remaining rectangles.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Brush tops of assembled pastries with egg wash. Cut a small slit in top of each pastry.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.
Make the icing: Place strawberries in a blender, food processor, or zip-top bag.
Process or mash until finely crumbled.
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving large pieces in strainer for topping.
Stir confectioners sugar into strawberries in bowl.
Whisk in milk until smooth.
Spread or drizzle icing on top of cooled pastries.
Top with large strawberry crumbs.
