Description
Cranberry brie bites deliver a perfect holiday appetizer with festive flair. Crisp pastry cups cradle creamy brie and tangy cranberry sauce, offering a delightful flavor combination you’ll savor at any seasonal gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- 120 g (4 ounces) brie cheese, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup cranberry sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Nuts and Optional Toppings:
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Binding and Garnish:
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Warm the oven to a robust 200C (400F), preparing the mini muffin tin with a delicate brush of oil or a protective parchment paper lining.
- Unfurl the puff pastry across a flour-dusted workspace, smoothing away any stubborn folds or wrinkles with careful, even pressure.
- Transform the pastry sheet into precise, uniform squares through deliberate slicing, targeting a dozen equal portions that will nestle perfectly into the waiting tin.
- Tenderly ease each pastry square into the muffin cups, allowing them to settle with gentle, supportive pressure that creates graceful, slightly ruffled edges.
- Slice the brie into petite, uniform medallions that will crown each miniature pastry vessel.
- Distribute cranberry sauce or whole cranberry preserve across the pastry bases, creating a vibrant, tangy foundation for the creamy cheese.
- Carefully position the brie rounds atop the crimson cranberry layer, ensuring each bite will deliver a harmonious blend of flavors.
- Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves or finely chopped rosemary for an aromatic herbal accent that elevates the appetizer’s complexity.
- Slide the prepared bites into the preheated oven, allowing them to transform until the pastry achieves a golden, crisp exterior and the cheese melts into luxurious submission.
- Remove from the oven and let the bites rest momentarily, allowing their temperatures to stabilize before serving these elegant, bite-sized delicacies.
Notes
- Boost flavor by adding a tiny drizzle of honey or orange zest to the brie before baking for a gourmet twist.
- Swap puff pastry with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour pastry to accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Customize toppings by experimenting with different preserves like fig jam or red pepper jelly for varied taste profiles.
- Prepare these bite-sized appetizers ahead of time and refrigerate unbaked, then pop them in the oven right before serving for maximum freshness and crispy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg