Puff Pastry Heart Cake
This puff pastry heart cake is made with flaky puff pastry shaped into a heart then filled with jam or chocolate. The rich flavor and tender layers are sweet and luscious making this the perfect easy Valentine’s dessert to share with a loved one!
This puff pastry heart cake is a lovely way to treat your family on Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion! The golden-brown, flaky exterior contrasts perfectly with the tender layers inside and the chocolate or jam filling makes it the perfect sweet dessert.
Food is the best gift for any occasion but especially on the day of love! In the past I have made Valentine chocolate dipped cookies and Italian Valentine’s Day tarts. These Italian strawberry filled cookies have also made an appearance a time or two!
This puff pastry dessert heart is my favorite yet, though! It’s not only easy to make but visually appealing and just melts-in-your-mouth!
Why You Will Love This Heart Shaped Puff Pastry
- Valentine’s Day dessert: A heart puff pastry is perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day but also simple enough for an easy weekend treat.
- Easy to make: Pre-made puff pastry from the store makes these quick and easy to make for your loved ones.
- Versatile: Fill this heart shaped pastry how you like with jam, Nutella or chocolate chips!
Recipe Ingredients
- Puff Pastry Sheet: Store-bought puff pastry sheets make this romantic dessert easy, but homemade puff pastry would make it extra special!
- Filling: Use mini chocolate chips, jam, preserves or Nutella. I love strawberry jam or raspberry preserves.
- Garnish: While optional, a dusting of powdered sugar makes this puff pastry heavenly!
Substitutions And Variations
- Type of pastry: Instead of puff pastry for the heart shape, you can use Brioche bread like I do in this Nutella pull-apart bread or even pie dough.
- Filling: Instead of jam or chocolate, use a simple cinnamon sugar filling. This version is perfect for a Valentine’s Day breakfast!
- Chocolate puff pastry: Instead of regular puff pastry, try this decadent chocolate puff pastry!
- Frosted puff pastry heart: Make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, butter and milk to frost the heart cake.
- Individual easy puff pastry hearts: Cut puff pastry into hearts using a heart cookie cutter, then fill before baking or after baking fill with pastry cream or whipped cream and fresh strawberries or raspberries.
- Other shapes: Puff pastry roses , puff pastry balls or puff pastry candy shapes would also be extra sweet for your Valentine!
How To Make Puff Pastry Heart Cake
To start, use a rolling pin to flatten a cold puff pastry sheet then use a small round cookie cutter to cut it out into circles.
Take 3 puff pastry dough circles at a time and in the middle place some chocolate chips, a little jam or hazelnut cream. Spread with the bottom of a spoon but do not cover the whole circle.
Place one circle overlapping the other then from the top roll to the bottom and cut in the middle with a knife.
Place the cut side down into the prepared heart shaped pan. Continue until all puff pastry has been used and the heart is filled. Sprinkle the top with some extra chocolate chips if desired.
Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden brown. If it starts to brown, loosely tent with foil and continue baking until done.
Let cool completely before sprinkling with powdered sugar or drizzling with chocolate.
Expert Tips
- Thawing puff pastry: When you purchase store-bought puff pastry it is frozen. Thaw on the countertop for about 45 minutes before using. You want your puff pastry thawed but still cold.
- Rolling and shaping: For an evenly baked puff pastry heart, ensure that you are cutting the pastry into evenly sized pieces. I recommend cookie cutters that are 2.5 inches.
- Filling the pan: It’s ok to have little spaces between your puff pastry pieces before baking. They will rise and expand in the baking process, which will make them stick together to form a solid heart shape.
- Hot oven: Preheating your oven is key for puff pastry to rise evenly! If you know your oven has hot spots, be sure to rotate your pan halfway through baking.
- Garnish: Dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with melted dark chocolate or drizzle with strawberry sauce or raspberry sauce before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Make a homemade heart shaped pan! Start by folding a long piece of foil into one 2-3 inch long strip. Fold it in half again to create the bottom point of the heart. Overlap the top ends of the foil strip and fold them together to create the top fold in the heart. Staple the ends together and shape the heart with your hands until you have a nice rounded heart. Place the heart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and spray the insides of the heart with cooking spray so that the pastry doesn’t stick.
Not quite! Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its airy texture from butter while phyllo dough is lower in fat and contains flour, water, vinegar and salt. Phyllo dough is much more suited for savory recipes.
There could be a few reasons! Your puff pastry may have been too warm, your oven too cool or you may have cut your pastry too thick.
Yes, you can prepare a day in advance and bake when needed, just keep them refrigerated.
How Do I Store The Puff Pastry Dessert Heart?
While this puff pastry heart cake is best when fresh, it can be stored up to 3 days in an airtight container.
More Puff Pastry Desserts To Try
- Puff Pastry Apple Pie
- Cinnamon Sugar Puff Pastry Palmiers
- Chocolate Pastry Braid
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Strudel
- Puff Pastry Tiramisu
If you are looking for something a little different but easy to make then I hope you give this Puff Pastry Heart Cake a try and be sure to let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Easy Filled Puff Pastry Heart Pie
Ingredients
- 2 store bought Puff Pastry or Pie Crust Rolls (if frozen let thaw)
FILLINGS (choose one or some of each)
- ½ cup hazelnut cream (Nutella)
- ½ cup jam of choice
- ½ cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
EXTRAS
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375F/ 190C. Grease and flour or spray an 8 inch heart shaped cake pan or see notes below on making a homemade pan.
- Roll out pastry dough to flatten, using a small round cookie cutter cut out (2.5 inches or 6.5 cm) circles. Take 3 circles at a time and in the middle place some chocolate chips, a little jam or Nutella. Spread with the bottom of a spoon but do not cover the whole circle. Place a circle over the other (see photo), from the top roll to the bottom and cut in the middle with a knife.
- Place the cut side down in the heart shape. Continue until complete and the heart is filled. Sprinkle with some extra chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake approximately 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden. If the top starts to darken too quickly cover with foil and continue baking. Let cool completely before sprinkling with powdered sugar or drizzling with chocolate. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from January 19, 2017.
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What size heart shaped pans do you use?
Hi Deborah, I used a 6 size heart shaped muffin tin that I found. About the size of the large muffin tin, just flatter.
Thanks so much for your response, I plan to make these for my #1 on Valentines Day. They look so good cannot wait to make them for him and of course I will get to taste them too.
Hi Deborah, great, I hope you both enjoy them. Let me know. Have a great weekend.
I made these for a friend’s birthday and they were so good. Great recipe.
Thanks Terry so glad you enjoyed them.