Jade’s Peaches and Cream Pastry
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
Nothing says summer quite like fresh peaches baked into a golden, flaky pastry. This peaches and cream pastry brings together the sweetness of ripe fruit, the richness of cream cheese, and the light crispness of puff pastry for a dessert that’s both simple and irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Peaches and Cream Pastry
Regular readers know that my family has strong opinions about peaches and the origins thereof. So, I will skip the lecture and move forward assuming we are all on the same page about the general superiority of South Carolina peaches.
Our niece, Jade, had recently experimented with a particularly delectable-sounding peaches and cream pastry. It’s made with puff pastry, sweet cream cheese, and juicy peaches. We decided to make it together on a recent visit, and it was just as delicious as you might imagine—especially warm and fresh from the oven.
If you’re as peach-obsessed as we are, you might also enjoy trying peaches with burrata on grilled sourdough. It’s another fresh and irresistible way to showcase this fruit.
Key Components of a Perfect Peaches and Cream Pastry
A truly memorable peaches and cream pastry comes together through three essential elements. A buttery puff pastry base, a warmly spiced peach filling, and a creamy layer that ties it all together. Each part adds its own flavor and texture, creating a dessert that feels both comforting and indulgent.
Choosing the Best Puff Pastry for Peaches and Cream
When making peaches and cream puff pastries, a rich, buttery pastry ensures every bite is light, crisp, and indulgent. For a dessert like this one, the quality of your puff pastry makes all the difference. All-butter dough bakes up golden, flaky, and sturdy enough to hold the creamy filling and juicy peaches. Store-bought pastry sheets are an excellent shortcut, but if you’re ambitious, homemade puff pastry can be a rewarding project too.
Jade and I used all-butter puff pastry (again, you can make your own if you wish). I swear by Dufour, an excellent commercial brand available in the freezer section of Whole Foods and other markets.
Flavorful Peach Filling with Warming Spices
For the peach filling in this peaches and cream pastry, we played with my cobbler recipe. This one features warming spices like ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon to flavor the fruit. It also uses tapioca starch to thicken the juice ever so slightly. This ensures that those mouth-watering peach juices stay just where you want them (on the pastry!) rather than seeping out all over the place.
The Creamy Layer That Makes This Dessert Special
The layer of cream cheese between the peaches and the pastry base serves two purposes. One, it creates a barrier between the puff pastry and the fruit, keeping the pastry dry and crispy. Two, it tastes good.
This sweetened cream cheese adds just the right balance to the spiced peaches which is perfect for any peaches and cream pastry recipe. It’s simply flavored with cinnamon. But of course, you could incorporate some of the spices from the peach filling or add your own twist.
Tips and Serving Ideas for Peaches and Cream Pastry
When making peaches and cream puff pastry, temperature control is everything. Puff pastry bakes best when it’s kept cold, so be sure to refrigerate it anytime you’re not working with it. On especially warm days, it’s wise to chill your prepared pastries in the freezer before baking. Doing so help them hold their shape and achieve those signature flaky layers. It was over 90° outside when we made this recipe, so we allowed the pastries to chill in the freezer prior to baking.
Once baked, this peaches and cream pastry is delightful on its own, especially when served warm straight from the oven. But for an extra treat, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. You can also opt for a spoonful of crème fraîche with a hint of cardamom. You can also serve it with coffee or tea. However you may want to serve it, this pastry is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
Dessert pairings are exciting because they involve exploring sweeter wines. You can talk to someone at your local wine shop to help you identify late-harvest wines, wines made from grapes affected by noble rot (botrytized wines), or even ice wines. Without diving into a detailed oenology lesson, though, I recommend researching each of these wines – they are all fantastic sweet options that would pair beautifully with this homemade peach cobbler. Perhaps more commonly available in your local shops, and also a delightful pairing, would be Moscato d’Asti. Don’t shy away from this Moscato! It’s creamy, fresh, bursting with peach notes, and delicately sweet.
Jade’s Peaches and Cream Pastry
Equipment
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
Ingredients
For the peach filling:
- 6 large peaches
- ¼ cup (60g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg freshly-grated
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the cream cheese:
- 8 ounces (225g) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
For the pastry and topping:
- 3 sheets all-butter puff pastry
- 1 large egg (beaten together with the heavy cream)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (mixed with the cinnamon)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- Peel the peaches by submerging them in boiling water for 90 seconds, then shocking them in ice water. The peel will come right off.
Step 2
- Cut the peaches into medium chunks, and add to a large, heavy saucepan. Set aside.
Step 3
- Whisk together the sugars, tapioca starch, and spices. Add them to the saucepan with the peaches along with the cream and vanilla. Stir gently to combine, and simmer on medium heat until thickened, about 10-12 minutes, reducing the heat if needed.
Step 4
- While the peaches are cooking, beat the cream cheese together with the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- When the peaches are cooked, transfer them to a medium bowl and set in the freezer or refrigerator to cool. Do not add hot filling to puff pastry.
Step 5
- When you are ready to proceed, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C), convection if you have it.
Step 6
- Flour your counter.Line a large sheet pan with parchment, and have it nearby. Have a rolling pin at the ready, along with a spatula for transferring the pastries to the sheet pan. Have all of your components at hand: the fully-cooled peaches, cream cheese, egg wash, and cinnamon-sugar, along with some clean spoons.Since it is wise to chill puff pastry before cooking, I recommend clearing space in your freezer or refrigerator that will accommodate your lined sheet pan.
Step 7
- Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry over the counter, keeping the other sheets in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 8
- Roll out the puff pastry to about ⅛” (3-4mm) thickness. Cut pastry into four rectangles, and within each, score a smaller rectangle within a border of about ¼” (2mm) from the edges.
Step 9
- Over the smaller, scored rectangle, spread 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons cream cheese. Top with peach filling. Repeat with the other three pastries.
Step 10
- Brush egg wash over the exposed edges of the puff pastry, and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the surface of each pastry.
Step 11
- Transfer the pastries to your freezer or refrigerator, prepare another sheet pan, and continue preparing your pastries. Ideally, by the time you have completed your next round of pastries, the first batch will be cold and ready to go.
Step 12
- Place the pastries in the oven and bake for 12 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375° (190°C) and continue to bake for another 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is fully cooked and golden brown.
Step 13
- Set aside on a rack to cool, and repeat until all the pastries are baked. Serve warm. They are delicious as they are, but some vanilla ice cream or lightly-sweetened crème fraîche are wonderful accompaniments. I like to add a little cardamom to my crème fraîche.
