Description
This Puff Pastry Christmas Tree Appetizer is a festive and easy-to-make treat perfect for holiday gatherings. Featuring flaky puff pastry layered with delicious pesto, melty mozzarella cheese, and fresh cherry tomatoes, this appetizer combines vibrant flavors and an eye-catching presentation. With just a handful of ingredients and multiple filling options, it’s ideal for both sweet and savory preferences and requires only 10 minutes of prep and 18 minutes of baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry Base
- 17.3 oz puff pastry (2 sheets; use vegan or gluten-free if preferred)
Filling
- 2.6 oz pesto (homemade or storebought, drained of excess oil)
- 1.6 oz mozzarella cheese (or another melty cheese like cheddar)
- 4.2 oz cherry tomatoes (approximately 15-16 tomatoes)
Finishing Touch
- 0.5 oz butter (melted or vegan butter/coconut oil)
- Few basil leaves (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pesto: If using homemade pesto, blend fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt until smooth. Alternatively, use storebought pesto, ensuring to drain any excess oil before using.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it is ready for baking the puff pastry Christmas tree.
- Roll Out Puff Pastry: Lay out your puff pastry sheets on a clean surface. Spread an even layer of pesto over one sheet, ensuring full coverage but leaving a small border around the edges.
- Add Cheese and Tomatoes: Evenly sprinkle the shredded mozzarella (or chosen melty cheese) over the pesto layer. Then slice the cherry tomatoes in halves or quarters and distribute them over the cheese layer.
- Assemble the Tree: Place the second puff pastry sheet on top of the filling, pressing gently along the edges to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the layered puff pastry into a large triangle shape resembling a Christmas tree.
- Create Branches: Make horizontal cuts from the edges towards the center without cutting all the way through to the middle spine, creating strips on each side that will be twisted to form branches.
- Shape the Tree: Twist each strip a few times and carefully shape the entire piece to resemble a Christmas tree. Place the shaped tree onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Brush with Butter: Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the melted butter or vegan butter/coconut oil over the entire tree to achieve a golden crust during baking.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for around 18 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown and puffed up.
- Decorate: Once baked and slightly cooled, garnish the tree with fresh basil leaves for decoration, and slice into pieces to serve.
Notes
- This recipe is versatile, offering multiple sweet and savory filling options to suit your preference.
- Use vegan or gluten-free puff pastry to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Keep an eye on the baking time as ovens vary; puff pastry should be golden and flaky when done.
- The pesto can be homemade or storebought; homemade pesto adds freshness and customization options.
- Make sure to drain excess oil from the pesto to prevent soggy pastry.
- For easier serving, slice the tree into small pieces once baked and cooled slightly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 96 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
