Strawberry Strips

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1 frozen puff pastry strip (or make your own pastry)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 recipe Pastry Cream
• 1 pint medium size strawberries
• 1/4 cup strawberry jelly
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts or other nuts

Pastry Cream

• 1 small box French vanilla or plain vanilla instant pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Pastry

1. Make pastry and cut into strips about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes. Cool.
3. Spread Pastry Cream on each strip. Top with strawberries, pointed end up, 2 to a row.
4. Melt strawberry jelly with 1 teaspoon sugar. Let bubble 1 minute; cool slightly and glaze each strawberry. Sprinkle nuts down sides of each strawberry strip.

Pastry Cream

1. Prepare pudding mix using 1 cup milk; fold in cognac or brandy.
2. Beat heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold into pudding mix.
3. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool.