1. Preheat and Prepare Pastry:

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
• On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the thawed puff pastry sheet into roughly a 10-inch square, if needed.
• Cut the pastry into 12 rectangles (approximately 3×2.5 inches each). Place them on ungreased baking sheets (or baking sheets lined with parchment paper).

2. Bake the Puff Pastry:

• Bake until golden brown and puffed, 12-15 minutes.
• Remove the baked pastry rectangles to wire racks and let them cool completely.

3. Macerate the Strawberries:

• While the pastry cools, combine the sliced strawberries and 1/4 cup of sugar in a large bowl.
• Toss gently to coat the strawberries.
• Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This process, called macerating, draws out the juices and creates a light syrup.

4. Make the Whipped Cream:

• In another bowl (preferably chilled), beat the heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer until it begins to thicken.
• Add the vanilla extract and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar.
• Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat.

5. Assemble the Puffs:

• Once the pastry is completely cool, carefully split each rectangle horizontally in half using a serrated knife.
• Place the bottom half of each pastry on a serving plate.
• Top each bottom half with about 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream.
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the macerated strawberries (including some juice) over the whipped cream.
• Replace the top half of the puff pastry.

6. Finish and Serve:

• Top the assembled puffs with the remaining whipped cream and strawberries.
• Serve immediately for the best texture.