How to make fruit filled pastries

Up your brunch game with a quick and easy recipe for Fruit and Cream Cheese Breakfast Pastries topped with your choice of fruit.

Store-bought puff pastry has starred in many a versatile creation around here, from the famous baked eggs and sticky buns to tarts and turnovers.

But when it comes to puff pastry’s role in the early a.m., it absolutely steals the show when baked into quick and easy breakfast pastries topped with tangy cream cheese filling and piled high with the season’s freshest fruits.

The Easiest Cream Cheese Pastries

If you can open a box of frozen puff pastry, you can make these cream cheese pastries. They are that simple! I’ve opted to make mine circular in shape, but if you want to make the most of each puff pastry sheet, consider squares (that transform into stunning pinwheels!), rectangles or even triangles.

What Fruit to Put On Pastries

The real beauty of these bite size snacks is that they’re completely compatible 365 days a year with a wide range of fruit toppings.

Opt for plump pomegranate seeds in the winter, hearty rhubarb in the spring, juicy berries in the summer, or crisp apples and pears in the fall. Best of all, they’ll be on your breakfast table in 30 minutes or less.

How to Store Breakfast Pastries

While the pastries really are best served the same day they are made, the best way to store them is in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. I avoid keeping them at room temperature since they do contain a fair amount of dairy!

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• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract until creamy.

• Unfold the puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly roll the pastry with a rolling pin to seal the perforations. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter (or glass), cut out four circles from each sheet of puff pastry.

• Transfer four pastry circles onto each baking sheet, spacing the circles about 2 inches apart. Lightly score a circular border 1/4-inch from the edges then prick the centers of each pastry with a fork. Spread a portion of the cream cheese mixture inside the border of each pastry then top the cream cheese with fruit.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the edges of the pastries with the egg wash then sprinkle them with the sanding sugar (optional). Bake the pastries for 15 to 18 minutes or until they’re golden and puffed.

• Remove the pastries from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

• Any type of fruit will work for these breakfast pastries. Opt for your favorite flavors or whatever is in season, such as strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, apples or pears.

Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.

5 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered or 2 cups raspberries or 2 cups blackberries

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit)

Grated zest and 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons strawberry, raspberry or blackberry jam

1 tablespoon milk, plus more for brushing

1 cup confectioners' sugar