Chocolate Puff Pastry with Strawberry Cream

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and salt for the puff pastry. Drop in the cubes of butter and use a pastry blender (or a food processor), to cut the butter into the flour and create pea-size clumps of dough.

Stream in a tablespoon of cold water at a time and stir (or pulse, if using processor) the dough with a wooden spoon. Once the dough is no longer shaggy and instead forms a large mass, turn out the dough onto your floured workspace.

Sprinkle a little flour on the dough before rolling the dough out into a rectangular strip. Fold the dough into thirds before turning the dough so that the open end faces you. Again, roll out into a strip and fold into thirds. Repeat this step two more times so that you've rolled and folded your dough 4 times in total.

Place the puff pastry dough on a plate and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. After 30 minutes, turn out the dough onto your floured surface and roll into a 1/4” thick square. Cut the dough into 8 squares.

Bake the puff pastry squares for about 20 minutes, or until they’re puffed up and slightly crisp. Cool the squares completely before adding ganache and cream.

Heat the heavy cream for the ganache in a small saucepan just until the edges begin to simmer. Drop in the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has completely melted.

To make the strawberry cream, whisk the heavy whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Add in the powdered sugar and preserves, then continue to whisk on high speed until the cream begins to form firmer peaks.

To assemble pastry sandwiches, grab two puff pastry squares. Spread chocolate ganache onto one of the pastry squares. Add a dollop of the strawberry cream, then make a sandwich by placing the remaining square on top. Repeat for remaining 3 sandwiches.