DIY Strawberry-Rose Vanilla Pastry Pockets with Cream Cheese Dip

Molly’s take on the packaged pastry pockets—those childhood snacks that came with tiny glaze packets and were heavily promoted to kids—features a from-scratch filling of strawberry-vanilla jam with a hint of rose water. The pastries are served with cream cheese glaze and rainbow sprinkles on the side, letting everyone decorate their own.

Info

• Cook time: 1 hour
• Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 tarts

Ingredients

Jam

• 10 ounces (266 grams) fresh or frozen (and thawed) strawberries, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon rosewater

Pastry Pockets

• 1 large egg
• All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface
• One 17.3-ounce (490-gram) box frozen puff pastry, thawed

Toppings

• 4 ounces (114 grams) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups (260 grams) powdered sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 2/3 cup (60 grams) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles

Instructions

1. Make the jam: In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the pot to infuse the jam with vanilla. Bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, stirring and scraping the bottom constantly with a heat-safe spatula or wooden spoon to prevent burning, until the strawberries break down and the jam becomes dark and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and rosewater until the butter melts. Transfer to a heat-safe container and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold, about 1 hour.
2. The jam can be prepared up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
4. Form the pastry pockets: In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Set aside.
5. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll one package of puff pastry into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then quarter crosswise to make eight 4-by-6-inch rectangles.
6. Place 4 rectangles on one prepared baking sheet. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of jam onto the center of each rectangle, then brush the edges with egg wash. Top with the remaining rectangles and crimp the edges with a fork. Trim any excess or uneven edges for clean lines. Brush each sealed tart with egg wash. Prick the dough with a fork to create steam vents. Refrigerate while you repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. For the best shape, chill both batches for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before baking.
7. Position one oven rack in the middle and another above it. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
8. Bake on the arranged racks, rotating halfway through, until the tarts are puffed and deep golden brown, checking at 18 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.
9. Make the toppings: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and fully incorporated. Gradually beat in the heavy cream a few tablespoons at a time until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Divide the frosting among 8 sandwich bags, sealing with a tie, rubber band, or tape—about 2 tablespoons per bag. Divide the sprinkles among 8 sandwich bags and seal similarly.
10. Serve the pastries with the bags of frosting and nonpareil sprinkles on the side for glazing and decorating as desired.
11. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. The tarts can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. Reheat in a toaster on a low setting—making sure there are no jam leaks—or in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.