Oh yes, these strawberry croissants are poetry in every bite!
Look no further for a romantic Valentine’s breakfast to spoil your special someone and achieve a perfect 10/10 for your Valentine’s Day efforts before the day has even begun!
You don’t need to be a whiz in the kitchen to whip up this dreamy treat either. All that’s needed are some shop-bought croissants, a few basic dairy staples and a whisk of some sort.
Easy step-by-step guide below!
What’s to love about this recipe
- Achieve the perfect romantic breakfast or brunch in just 10 minutes.
- Ideal for kitchen novices who want to impress without the hassle.
- Strikes the perfect balance of savoury, sweet and tangy notes.
- Pair it with pink champagne for added sophistication (and extra points).
- Great option for a Mother’s Day brunch.
Key ingredient notes and substitutions
**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full list of ingredients.
Croissants
Opt for convenience by choosing high-quality, freshly baked, golden brown, flaky croissants from your local grocery store or bakery.
Alternatively, go for the bake-at-home option for a warm, fresh-from-the-oven experience. You can also use crescent dough.
Strawberries
Choose the freshest and nicest-looking strawberries for this recipe.
You might not need the whole punnet but any extras can be served on the side or added as a nice touch to the champagne flutes.
Double/heavy cream/heavy whipping cream
We love the extra richness of double cream but whipping cream works perfectly too. Choose based on your preference or what you have on hand.
Cold cream straight from the fridge tends to whip easier.
Mascarpone cheese
The mascarpone cheese should be at just above room temperature before using. Cool, but not cold. Cold mascarpone tends to look grainy and you might find it difficult to get a smoother, creamier texture for your cream.
The combination of cool mascarpone and cold cream will give you quite a stable filling.
You can also use cream cheese in place of the mascarpone.
How to make strawberry croissants: Step-by-step
- Add the cold cream and icing sugar (powdered sugar) to a bowl.
- With an electric hand mixer or a whisk, whip the cream until it begins to thicken. You can stop when you see trails left in the cream by the whisk.
- In a separate bowl, add the cool mascarpone cheese and the vanilla extract.
- Whisk the mascarpone briefly until it’s smooth and slightly runnier, approximately 15 seconds.
- Add the mascarpone mixture to the cream.
- Whisk again until you achieve soft, yet slightly firm peaks, creating a scoopable cream that will stay inside the croissants without seeping out.
- See the above photo for ideal consistency. Be cautious not to overwhip the cream, as it may result in a dry texture.
- Wash, hull and slice the fresh strawberries in half vertically.
- With a sharp bread knife, slice the croissants in half horizontally. Don’t cut through entirely. Leave one side intact to hold the two halves together.
- Spread a couple of tablespoons of strawberry jam on one half of each croissant.
- Pipe or spoon the mascarpone cream on top of the strawberry jam.
- Dot the cream with the strawberry halves. Add as many as you want.
- Using a small sieve or tea strainer, dust the top of the croissants with icing sugar.
Variations
- Use almond croissants or add toasted almonds on top of the cream.
- Drizzle the tops of the croissants with melted chocolate.
- Omit the mascarpone and use double the amount of cream instead, adding the same amount of icing sugar and vanilla extract.
- Add a glaze to the strawberry slices with a small amount of warmed-up apricot jam.
- Swap the mascarpone cream with Crème Pâtissière (pastry cream).
- For an alternative strawberry filling, dice the strawberries into small pieces and mix it in with the cream before spooning into the croissants.
- Make cute, smaller versions with mini croissants.
- Serve with ice cream.
If you’re a fan of croissants, also check out cruffins and croffles!
Storage
These croissants are best enjoyed freshly made.
If you find yourself with leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.
Not suitable for freezing.
Strawberry Croissants with Mascarpone Cream
Ingredients
For the mascarpone cream
- 125 millilitre (½ US cup) double cream or heavy cream, fridge-cold
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered sugar) and more for dusting
- 125 grams (4.5 oz) mascarpone cheese cool, not fridge-cold. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before using.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the croissants
- 1 punnet strawberries roughly 12 strawberries
- 4 large croissants shop-bought or homemade
- 8 teaspoons strawberry jam or to taste
- icing sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Add the cold cream and icing sugar (powdered sugar) to a bowl.125 millilitre (½ US cup) double cream, 2 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- With an electric hand mixer or a whisk, whip the cream until it begins to thicken. You can stop when you see trails left in the cream by the whisk.
- In a separate bowl, add the cool mascarpone cheese and the vanilla extract.125 grams (4.5 oz) mascarpone cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk the mascarpone briefly until it's smooth and slightly runnier, approximately 15 seconds.
- Add the mascarpone mixture to the cream. Whisk again until you achieve soft, yet slightly firm peaks, creating a scoopable cream that will stay inside the croissants without seeping out.
- Wash, hull and slice the strawberries in half vertically.1 punnet strawberries
- With a sharp bread knife, slice the croissants in half horizontally. Don't cut through entirely. Leave one side intact to hold the two halves together.4 large croissants
- Spread a couple of tablespoons of strawberry jam on one half of each croissant.8 teaspoons strawberry jam
- Pipe or spoon the mascarpone cream on top of the strawberry jam.
- Dot the cream with the strawberry halves. Add as many as you want.
- Using a small sieve or tea strainer, dust the top of the croissants with icing sugar.icing sugar for dusting (optional)
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
