I love bite-sized desserts.  People feel less guilty about eating a wonderful dessert when it is small. After all, there are less calories in a lot of little desserts, right?  Plus, an individual size is so pretty and easy to serve.

I am going to show you how easy it is to make these pastry bites two ways…lemon raspberry and cannoli.  Both use the same individual sized pastry shell.

Because the individual shells for these desserts can be made ahead on the morning you will be using them, it is a great dessert for serving a crowd. 

For lemon raspberry pastry bites, the shells are filled with lemon curd and topped with a raspberry.  Lemon curd is really tart and gives a great big zing to this little bite.

There is some really great quality lemon curd that you can buy premade…often it is less expensive than buying the ingredients to make it yourself.  Trader Joe’s has a good one (since you only use 1 tsp. per bite, you can make 90 pieces with the one 10.5 oz. jar). If you would rather make it yourself, Ina Garten’s recipe is my favorite.

Just before serving time, carefully fill each shell with lemon curd, top with a raspberry, garnish with a little piece of mint, and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Cannoli pastry bites are filled with cannoli cream.  I love cannoli cream, but I am not a big fan of cannoli shells.  The reason could be because I am not a big fan of fried foods.  In any case, I much prefer cannoli cream with puff pastry and that is the why I decided to create a dessert with that combination. 

Use your favorite cannoli filling recipe.  Mine is by Alex Guaranschelli.  Click here for the recipe. 

Fill the shells just before serving.  Garnish with mini chocolate chips and drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.  Dust with confectioner’s sugar. 

If you use Alex’s recipe, it makes a lot.  Because you only need 1 tsp. for each pastry bite, you will have plenty left over. You can reduce the recipe, or use the extra, as I do, for deconstructed cannolis as a special treat for your family or guests.  I get the broken cannoli shells from an Italian bakery and serve the delicious cannoli filling with a garnish of mini chocolate chips…a sweet version of a chip & dip. :)

“Deconstructed’ cannolis are a great way to use leftover cannoli filling. Serve a bowl of cannoli cream with broken cannoli shells. Garnish with some mini chocolate chips. A sweet & stylish ‘chip & dip!’

Making the Shells

To make individual shells, use pastry sheets purchased at the grocery store.  I have used phyllo dough many times in my life…I can’t even count the number of times I have made baklava…but it is a little tricky if you haven’t worked with it.  I am going to give you instructions using the store bought sheets…I did a test before I put this post together and you can get a great result using the store bought sheets.  They are called puff pastry, pastry dough sheets and are located in the freezer section of your grocery store.  The box is 17.65 oz. and contains two sheets of pastry dough. 

The key to making a successful shell is in the cutting.  The dough needs to be really, really cold when you cut the shape so that the edges don’t seal.  Sealing the edges would prevent the pastry dough from rising.  This is the reason you should not wait for the dough to defrost, cut it as soon as you are able.  For the same reason, do not add an egg wash or brush with milk…if any of the wash gets onto the sides of the shell, the edges will seal. 

You will need two different sized cookie cutters…I used one that measures 1 3/8” in diameter and one that is 2 3/8“ diameter.  I bought a set of graduated cookie cutters in a flower shape at Home Goods…5 cutters in various sizes came in the package for a price of $2.99.

Using the larger cutter, cut the shape from the dough.  Put it onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Using the smaller cutter, cut a center in the first shape, but do not cut all the way through…pierce the dough, but do not make a cut.  This will create the hole for your filling.  Each sheet will make 12 pieces if you use a similar sized cookie cutter as mine, so the box of two sheets will make 24.

Bake on parchment paper at 400 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes. 

After the shells are completely cool, use the point of a knife to remove the inner shape.  You can push it down if you are having trouble removing it.  After you have done this to each shell, they can be saved for later to fill.

You can have your filling ready ahead of time and can make the shells in the morning.  All you need to do is to assemble when ready to serve!  Now that you know how to make the individual pastry shells, you can come up with your own versions using your favorite fillings!  Enjoy!

Thank you so much for visiting!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at The Shabby Nest and Craftberry Bush.

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