I have to admit I’ve never been one to go all out on Valentine’s Day. I’m not trying to be a killjoy, I just think that it can be a little over-the-top.  My husband and I usually wait a week or two after Valentine’s Day to go out to eat or opt to do something nice at home instead. In my humble opinion, most restaurants are subpar on “holidays” like these and it’s usually not worth being one of the herd. Bus still, beyond the commerciality of this holiday, it’s nice to be reminded to appreciate the ones you love and do something special for them to say I Love You.

This year I decided to treat all of my boys to breakfast in bed. I’m super lucky to have three boys to call my sweethearts this Valentine’s Day, and treating them to a surprise breakfast in bed seemed like a fun thing to do (crumbs be damned!). The Italian mama in me loves to spoil them with yummy treats and I’m thinking this will be a big hit. My three year old is going to freak out when he’s presented with this delicious heart chock-full of fresh berries and creamy yogurt. He doesn’t even know what breakfast in bed is and I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he is given a fancy breakfast tray while he’s still warm and toasty in his jammies. My husband I think will just love the fact that he gets to sleep in a bit. And the baby, well he is along for the ride and loves himself some berries and yogurt. : )

The hearts come out so cute and take no time to make. In fact,the entire recipe can be made the night before and assembled right before service. Berries may be marinated overnight inside an airtight container in the fridge and the puff pastry hearts can be baked, cooled, then stored inside an airtight container at room temperature. These hearts would also be adorable topped with chocolate pudding and whipped cream or as a savory base for a lovely green salad topped with some nuts and crumbly cheese. Mmm….

Much love to you and your families, this day and always,

C

Puff Pastry Hearts With Yogurt And Fresh Berries 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

1 package (2 pieces) of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/2 cup blueberries

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 cup yogurt (any flavor will do but we like vanilla)

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat liner or piece of parchment. In a small bowl, toss berries with sugar and allow to macerate while you make the puff pastry hearts.

Lay pastry onto a floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll out any cracks or creases.

Using a 5 inch heart cookie cutter, cut out 4 large hearts. If you have a smaller heart  cookie cutter, you can use it to cut out smaller hearts from the excess dough like I did and use it as a garnish.

Place hearts onto prepared baking sheet. Using a pairing knife, score a heart inside the puff pastry, leaving about 1/2 inch border. Be careful not to press all the way through, you just want to score it. The, use the tines of the fork or your knife blade to dock (prick) small holes in the dough.

Bake hearts for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to coo for 5 minutes before toping with berries and a dollop of yogurt.