Pochettes aux fraises

The corners need something to grip, so press them firmly into the center where they overlap rather than just laying them down. Overfilling is the usual culprit: stick to about 1 tbsp per square, since a heaped spoonful pushes the pastry apart as the filling heats. It also helps to brush the egg yolk-milk mixture over the folded corners, which glues them together as it sets.

Fresh is the safer choice here, because frozen strawberries release a lot of liquid as they thaw and will make the cream cheese filling runny. If frozen is all you have, thaw them completely, drain them well, and pat them dry before dicing them finely. The 1 tbsp of cornstarch in the filling helps bind moisture, but it cannot rescue a filling that is already watery.

Quark works directly in place of cream cheese and is named in the ingredients, though a drained, thicker quark gives a firmer filling. Mascarpone or a well-drained ricotta go in the same direction if that is what your fridge holds. For the topping, chopped hazelnuts or pistachios stand in for the sliced almonds, or you can leave the nuts off entirely and just brush with the egg yolk mixture for a shiny top.

You can mix the filling a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then stir it briefly before using. Cutting and filling the squares in advance is riskier, since the moisture softens the raw pastry - if you do it, chill the filled, folded pockets on the lined tray and bake them straight from cold. Save the egg yolk brushing, the almonds, and the powdered sugar for right before baking and right after cooling.

Because of the cream cheese filling, keep leftovers covered in the fridge rather than at room temperature. The pastry will soften overnight, so warm them for a few minutes in the oven at the same 180°C to bring back some crispness, then dust with fresh powdered sugar afterwards - the first dusting will have dissolved. They are at their best on the day they are baked, still slightly warm.