Prep your pastry: Remove the puff pastry sheets from the fridge or freezer and let them come to room temperature before unfolding. This step is crucial - cold pastry will crack when you try to work with it, so give it about 15-20 minutes to soften.

Set up for success: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Having everything ready makes the assembly process so much smoother.

Prepare larger berries: If you're using strawberries, dice them into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly with the smaller berries. I keep blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries whole.

Create the berry coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, corn starch, lemon zest, and maple syrup until smooth. This mixture will help thicken the berry juices as they bake and prevent soggy pastry bottoms.

Toss the berries: In a medium bowl, gently combine your fresh berries with the lemon juice mixture. Mix carefully to coat everything without crushing the delicate berries. Set aside.

Shape the pastries: Carefully unfold each pastry sheet and cut into 4 equal squares - you'll end up with 16 individual pastries total. Place them on your prepared baking sheets, spacing them a couple of inches away from each other.

Form the borders: Gently fold over the edges of each pastry square to create a small border all around. This creates the raised edge that holds the berries in place while baking.

Brush with egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with a dash of water to create an egg wash. Use a pastry brush to coat the pastry “bowl” and edges of each pastry; this gives you that shine and touch of crisp texture.

Fill and bake: Spoon the berry mixture into the center of each pastry, staying within the borders you created. Slide the baking sheets into your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry edges turn light brown.

Cool and serve: Let the pastries cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. I love serving these warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream!