Puff Pastry Wreath with Berries and Cream

Name: Puff Pastry Wreath with Berries and Cream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 1 wreath, 8 slices
Ingredients: 1 sheet (about 9 oz) puff pastry, thawed; 1 large egg, beaten; 1 cup heavy cream, cold; 1/2 cup mascarpone, cold; 1/4 cup powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups strawberries, halved; 1/2 cup blueberries; Powdered sugar, for dusting

9 ingredients · 6 steps · 1 hr 15 min

By Melis · developed and cooked in our studio kitchen

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A puff pastry ring baked until golden and filled with vanilla whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries. Total time: 1 hr 15 min.

Puff Pastry Wreath with Berries and Cream

This wreath is made from a sheet of store-bought puff pastry cut into a ring, brushed with egg and baked until puffed and crisp. Once cool, it is topped with a lightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla.

Fresh strawberries and blueberries go on top, so the red and blue fruit on white cream gives a festive look with very little effort. It is best assembled shortly before serving, while the pastry is still crisp.

How do you make a puff pastry wreath?

Roll a sheet of puff pastry into an 11-inch (28 cm) square and cut a 10-inch (25 cm) circle from it, then cut a 4-inch (10 cm) circle from the center to make a ring. Prick the inner area lightly with a fork, brush with beaten egg and chill for 10 minutes. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden, and cool completely before adding the cream.

Can you bake puff pastry ahead of time?

Yes. Bake the pastry ring a few hours ahead and keep it at room temperature. Whip the cream and assemble the wreath no more than 2 hours before serving so the pastry stays crisp.

Why add mascarpone to whipped cream?

Mascarpone makes the whipped cream thicker and helps it hold its shape longer, which is useful when the wreath sits on a buffet. Whip it with the cold cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to firm peaks.

How long does a puff pastry dessert with whipped cream last?

It is best eaten within a few hours of assembling. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 day, but expect the pastry to soften as it sits under the cream.

Ingredient notes and swaps

Keep the puff pastry cold while you cut it so the layers rise evenly. Mascarpone whipped into the cream helps it hold its shape longer on a buffet.

Bake the pastry ring a few hours ahead and keep it at room temperature. Whip the cream and assemble no more than 2 hours before serving.

How to make Puff Pastry Wreath with Berries and Cream

Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Step 2
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into an 11-inch (28 cm) square. Cut a 10-inch (25 cm) circle from it, then cut a 4-inch (10 cm) circle from the center to make a ring. Place on the sheet and prick the inner area lightly with a fork.
Step 3
Brush with beaten egg and chill for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden and puffed. Cool completely on a rack.
Step 5
Whip the cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla to firm peaks.
Step 6
Spread or pipe the cream over the ring and arrange the strawberries and blueberries on top. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Tips and storage

Bake the ring until it is deep golden, not just light gold. Pale pastry is still soft inside and goes limp sooner under the cream. If the inner area puffs up a lot, press it down gently with a spatula while the pastry is still warm.

Dry the berries well after washing. Wet fruit makes the cream weep and soaks into the pastry.

Keep the cream and mascarpone cold until you whip them. Chilling the bowl and beaters for a few minutes helps. Stop as soon as you reach firm peaks, since overwhipped cream with mascarpone can turn grainy.

As a variation, use raspberries, sliced kiwi or pomegranate seeds for a red and green holiday look. Keep the total amount of fruit about the same.

Cut the wreath with a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion so the pastry does not crush the cream. Like any cream dessert, it should not sit out for more than 2 hours.

Best eaten within a few hours of assembling. Refrigerate leftovers for 1 day. The pastry will soften.

Recipe