Puff Pastry Christmas Tree (Christmas Tree Appetizer)
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5
2 reviews
Excellent
Puff Pastry Christmas Tree (Christmas Tree Appetizer)
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Whether you're entertaining or relaxing, this recipe hits the spot.
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Ingredients
for the basil walnut pesto (or use 1/2 - 3/4 cup store-bought pesto):
- 2 cups basil leaves packed, 45g
- 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese grated, 67g
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup walnuts 20g
- lemon zest grated from 1
- 1/4 cup olive oil 60ml
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
pastry and decoration:
- 2 puff pastry 2x9.5 ounces or 270g or similar, sheets
- 1 egg
- 4 cherry tomato
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- basil leaves small
- 1 lice gouda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Make basil pesto (you can also use store-bought pesto): add all the ingredients for the pesto to a food processor and blend until it becomes a paste but it's still a little bit chunky. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put it in the fridge.
- Take one sheet of puff pastry out of the fridge. Roll it out on a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with flour into a rectangle about 1/8-inch (3-4mm) thick (mine was 10x15 inches (27x38cm) but it can have any dimensions as long as it's a rectangle).
- Cut a tree shape in the dough (just a triangle for the tree and a small square for the tree trunk, see photos in the body of the post for a reference). You can do it freehand or cut out a template from a piece of parchment paper. Place the leftover scraps of the dough in the fridge.
- If at any point your pastry becomes sticky and hard to work with, put it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to chill.
- Place your pastry with parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spread about 1/2 cup of pesto over the dough.
- Take the second puff pastry sheet out of the fridge and roll it out exactly like the first one. Place it on top of the pastry with pesto. Cut out the same shape (it doesn't have to be very precise). You don't have to pinch both parts of the dough together. Reserve the scraps and put them in the fridge.
- Now cut horizontal lines in the dough on the left and right side ("branches of the tree"), they should be about 3/4 to 1-inch (2 cm) apart. Do not cut in the middle of the tree from the top to bottom.
- Twist each strip creating spirals.
- How to use up the remaining dough: I cut out some stars from the dough using a star cookie cutter and baked them with the tree. You can place one star above the tree.
- Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C) then reduce the temperature to 325°F (160°C) and bake for 10 minutes. Every oven bakes differently so keep an eye on the pastry at the end of the baking time making sure it's not getting too dark.
- Decorate your tree (optional): place cut in half tomatoes on the tree, pipe cream cheese stars using a star tip and a zip lock bag with a corner cut off, sprinkle with small basil leaves, and top with gouda cheese stars (cut out with a small star cookie cutter).
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Thaw your puff pastry in the fridge overnight. Make sure it’s cold before you start. Take it out of the fridge only if you have all your ingredients ready.
- Calories = 1 serving (1/8 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
488kcal
(24%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 488 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 488kcal | 24% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
2 reviews
Excellent
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