Cream & Berry Filled Pastry Bars Recipe

Flaky pastry bars filled with a luscious cream and topped with fresh, vibrant berries. A delightful treat for any occasion.

Ingredients:

  • For the Pastry:
    • 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
    • 1/2 cup (120ml) ice water
    • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • For the Cream Filling:
    • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
    • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
  • For the Berry Topping:
    • 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
    • 1 cup fresh blueberries
    • 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
    • Optional: powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Pastry:
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
    • Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
    • Gradually add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
    • Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Roll and Shape the Pastry:
    • On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick.
    • Cut the dough into rectangular bars. The size is up to your preference.
    • Place the bars onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    • Brush the pastry bars with the beaten egg wash.
    • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. Prepare the Cream Filling:
    • In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
    • Stir in the vanilla extract.
    • In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
    • Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.
  4. Assemble the Pastry Bars:
    • Once the pastry bars have cooled, spread a generous amount of the cream filling onto each bar.
    • Arrange the sliced strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries on top of the cream filling.
    • Optional: Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
    • Serve immediately or chill for a short time before serving.

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