• Preheat oven to 425°F.

Bake Puff Pastry:

• Roll out the puff pastry on the included sheet of parchment paper.

  Note: This recipe was written for refrigerated puff pastry. If using frozen puff pastry, thaw before using, rolled out to ¼″ thickness, and work on a floured surface instead of parchment paper.
• Cut pastry into 8 even rectangles.

  Alternatively, use round 4" biscuit or cookie cutters and cut out circles. You may get fewer pastries per sheet of dough when making round pastries.
• Move the parchment paper and pastry onto a baking sheet.
• Use a butter knife to make a shallow indentation on the pastries, creating a ½″ border along the edges. Do not cut all the way through the pastry!

  Tip: If you accidentally cut all the way through the pastry dough while making the border, use your finger to add a few drops of water to the cut area of the dough. Rub the dough to seal it back up.
• Use a fork to poke holes in the center of each pastry (inside the border).

  Whisk the egg in a small bowl, add a splash of water, and carefully brush the egg wash onto the top outer edge of the pastry (the ½″ border). Take care to only brush the TOP of the pastry– if the egg wash drips onto the side, it will seal the puff and prevent it from rising.

  Tip: An egg wash makes the pastry extra glossy when baking. It’s totally optional.
• Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. 
• Remove pastries from the oven.

  Use the bottom of a soup spoon to press down on the center of the pastries, creating an indention in each pastry. Set the pastries aside to cool.

Make the Filling:

• Chill a glass (Pyrex) bowl in the freezer until it’s cold to the touch.
• Remove it from the freezer, and add the mascarpone, whipping cream, and sugar.  Use an electric mixer on high to whip until it's creamy and smooth. Chill until you’re ready to use.

Assemble the Tarts:

• Make sure the tart shells are completely cool before assembling.
• Heat the jam in a small pot until it thins and swirls easily in the pot.  Turn off the heat.
• Use a spoon to fill the tart indention with the whipped filling. If desired, sprinkle with fresh mint or thyme and/or pistachios.
• Top each tart with 1-2 sliced strawberries, and fan the strawberry slices out on the tart. Brush the jam onto the berries. Serve immediately.
• Prepare Ahead:

  The puff pastry tart shells and mascarpone whip can be made up to one day ahead of time. Wait until you're ready to serve the tarts before assembling. Tarts are best eaten right away, and should be eaten within an hour.