Vegan Puff Pastry Hearts with Vanilla Custard and Raspberries

Ingredients

• 1 sheetpuff pastry
• 1 recipevanilla custard (or chocolate pudding or your favourite shop-bought brand)
• 2–3 tbsp, plus 1 pinch of turmeric (optional)dairy-free milk or cream
• 1–2 tsp (optional)coconut sugar or other sugar, for sprinkling
• to tasteberries, such as raspberries and redcurrants
• to tasteicing sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 200°C.

2. 2

   Cut pastry hearts

   Roll out the puff pastry and cut out hearts in your preferred size.

3. 3

   Shape the frames

   Arrange the hearts on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Use a smaller heart cutter to cut out the centre of each one, making a pastry frame.

4. 4

   Prick the centres

   Prick the small pastry centres several times with a fork so they do not puff up in the middle and leave room for the custard.

5. 5

   Brush and bake

   Mix the dairy-free milk or cream with the optional pinch of turmeric, then brush it over the pastry hearts. Sprinkle with a little sugar and bake in the preheated oven for about 10–15 minutes, depending on their size, until lightly golden. Leave to cool; if a centre has risen, gently press it down with a finger.

6. 6

   Fill with custard

   Prepare the vanilla custard according to its recipe and spoon it into the cooled pastry hearts.

7. 7

   Decorate and serve

   Dust the hearts with icing sugar and decorate them with berries. Serve and enjoy.

What are puff pastry hearts?

These are small German-inspired sweet pastries made by baking puff pastry into heart-shaped frames, then filling them with vanilla custard and topping them with berries. Heart-shaped pastries are a natural choice for celebrations such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

The quick version works because ready-made puff pastry provides crisp, flaky layers without the time needed to make pastry from scratch. A simple custard filling and fresh fruit finish each one.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 83 calories, 1g protein, 7g carbs, 5g fat.

The pastry and added sugar provide most of the carbohydrates and fat, while the custard contributes some protein as well as additional carbohydrates and fat. Serve a heart with extra fresh berries to add fruit to the plate without making the pastry portion larger.

Choosing the pastry and filling

Vegan pastry: Check the packet to make sure the puff pastry is dairy-free; some varieties are made with butter. Keep it chilled until you are ready to cut the shapes so it is easier to handle.

Vanilla custard: Use the linked recipe or a suitable shop-bought option, and make chocolate pudding instead if you prefer. Prepare it as directed and let the pastry cool before filling.

Making neat pastry frames

Cutters: Use a larger cutter for each heart and a smaller one to mark out its centre. Remove the centre pieces, keeping the outer frames intact.

Fork pricks: Prick the small centres thoroughly to limit puffing in the middle. If a centre still rises during baking, press it down gently after the pastry comes out of the oven.

Getting the bake right

Colour: Brush the pastry lightly with the dairy-free milk or cream mixture, then add a little sugar if using. Turmeric is optional and is included for colour rather than flavour.

Timing: Bake at 200°C for about 10–15 minutes, adjusting for the size of the hearts. Look for lightly golden pastry, then cool it before adding the custard.

Filling and decorating

Cool first: Warm pastry can soften the custard, so wait until the hearts are cool before filling them. Add enough custard to sit neatly inside each frame.

Finish: Dust with icing sugar and arrange the berries on top just before serving for a fresh, colourful finish.

Serving the hearts

Serve these as individual desserts with tea or coffee, or arrange them on a platter for a celebration. Raspberries and redcurrants suit the vanilla filling, but other berries can be used too.

For a more balanced dessert plate, serve a heart alongside extra fresh berries rather than adding another rich accompaniment.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the pastry cool while cutting so the heart frames hold their shape.
• Use a sharp cutter and press straight down for clean edges.
• Prick each centre several times to help keep it flat as it bakes.
• Let the pastry cool fully before filling it with custard.
• Add the berries and icing sugar close to serving time for the freshest finish.

Variations

• Chocolate filling: Use chocolate pudding instead of vanilla custard.
• Mixed berries: Combine raspberries with redcurrants or other berries.
• Citrus note: Add a little finely grated lemon zest to the custard.
• Flavoured sugar: Sprinkle the pastry with cinnamon sugar before baking.
• Different shapes: Cut the pastry into circles or stars if you do not have heart cutters.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Warm pastry: It can be harder to cut neatly; chill it briefly before shaping.
• Unpricked centres: They may puff up and leave too little space for filling; prick them well with a fork.
• Overbaking: The pastry can become too dark; take it out when lightly golden.
• Filling too soon: Custard can soften warm pastry; let the baked hearts cool first.
• Too much topping: A heavy layer can spill over the frames; fill neatly and add berries sparingly.

How to store

Store assembled hearts in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days. The pastry is best soon after filling and may soften in storage; avoid reheating them once filled.

Frequently asked questions