Ingredients
2 sheets store-bought puff pastry, thawed
4oz cream cheese (go for the good stuff!), softened
1⁄4 cup sugar (I use organic cane)
1 egg yolk from a local farm (support sustainable agriculture, y’all)
1 Tbsp ricotta cheese (part-skim is A-OK)
1⁄2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla if that’s your jam)
Pinch of sea salt (any will do)
Zest from 1⁄2 lemon (organic preferred)
1 can cherry pie filling (I like Oregon Fruit)
1 egg + 1 Tbsp water for egg wash
Flour for dusting (whole wheat works too)
Heart-shaped cookie cutter (because adorable!)
Adorable Assembly
Thaw that puff pastry until smooth and pliable, dolls. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper – makes cleanup a breeze.
In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until nice and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk, ricotta, almond extract, salt, and lemon zest. Cover and chill in the icebox.
Lightly flour a work surface and gently roll out each puff pastry sheet into a 10×10” square. Use your precious heart cookie cutter to cut out shapes, then transfer them to the baking sheets. Prick the hearts all over with a fork – this helps them puff spectacularly as they bake!
Divide the cream cheese mixture among the hearts, topping each with 1 heaping Tbsp. Spoon cherry pie filling over the top, about 4-5 cherries per heart. Brush the puff pastry edges with the egg wash mixture.
Chill pastries for 15 minutes to firm up before baking. This helps the filling set up so it doesn’t ooze out and make a mess. But it’s all part of their rustic charm!
Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown perfection. Let cool just enough so you don’t burn your mouth on melty cherries when you dig in!
