This Puff Pastry Heart is a delicious & beautiful jam-filled treat that looks impressive, but is actually very quick & easy. Perfect for special occasions.
Thaw puff pastry sheets unwrapped on kitchen counter for about 25 minutes. They should still be cold (but not frozen) when you work with them.
Once pastry is thawed, set oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Using a rolling pin, roll one of the pastry sheets into a 12 inch square on a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle rolling pin with a little flour, if needed, to prevent sticking. Repeat with second pastry sheet using a different piece of parchment paper. Try to make both squares about the same size.
Place pastry sheets one directly on top of the other. Using a small, sharp knife, lightly score a large heart outline on the top sheet. Try to use most of the pastry. This is just a guide prior to cutting. Once you're happy with the shape, cut through both pastry sheets at the same time to create the two hearts.
Pick up top heart and set aside. Place bottom heart (still on parchment paper) onto baking sheet. Stir jam to soften and spread over bottom heart, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the edge without jam (see picture).
Dip your finger in water and dampen the 1/2 inch border all the way around. Place second heart on top and gently press down edges to seal.
Using a small, sharp knife begin cutting 1 inch strips around heart. I start my first cut in the center and slice down towards the heart's tip. I ended up making 13 cuts, which yields 14 strips (7 on each side). *Make sure you leave a small area towards the center/top of the heart uncut in order to keep the strips distinct (see photos).
Beginning at the top of each side of the heart, twist each strip 2 times and then place outer edge flat on the parchment paper. Repeat with all strips.
Beat egg with 1 Tablespoon water and then brush egg wash lightly over entire pastry heart using a pastry brush.
Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Time may vary slightly based on oven differences and color of baking sheet used. Darker pans cook things more quickly. (Mine took the full 18 minutes to be nicely browned using a light-colored pan).
(Optional) Make cream cheese icing (recipe below) as pastry bakes.
Once brown and crispy, remove from oven and cool puff pastry heart for 30 minutes on a wire rack still on the parchment paper.
Drizzle with cream cheese icing or dust with powdered sugar using a fine mesh strainer, if desired.
Place all icing ingredients into a small bowl and beat with a rubber spatula until soft and creamy. Place into piping bag or small freezer bag. Cut off just the tip and drizzle onto puff pastry heart.
This treat is best eaten on the same day it's made