Description
Creamy jalapeño cheese tarts deliver bold Mexican-inspired flavor with a spicy kick. Sharp cheddar and zesty peppers mingle in flaky pastry, promising a delightful appetizer you can savor with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese and Dairy:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (100 grams) grated Colby or cheddar cheese
Protein and Vegetables:
- 8 cooked slices of bacon, chopped
- ½ cup (50 grams) chopped fresh scallions
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeno, sliced (for topping)
Pastry and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) pepper jelly
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) hot water
Instructions
- Heat the oven to a toasty 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Transform the puff pastry into 9 precise rectangles, positioning them carefully on the prepared sheet. Gently perforate the center of each pastry with a fork, maintaining a delicate untouched border.
- Create a flavor-packed filling by blending cream cheese, Colby cheese, scallions, crispy bacon bits, and finely chopped jalapeños until the mixture achieves a harmonious consistency.
- Generously distribute the cheese mixture across each pastry rectangle, ensuring an even spread while keeping the edges pristine. Adorn the top with elegant jalapeño slices and delicately brush the pastry borders with beaten egg for a golden finish.
- Slide the tarts into the preheated oven, allowing them to transform into crispy, golden delights over 20-25 minutes.
- Craft a vibrant glaze by whisking pepper jelly with hot water until silky smooth, using brief microwave intervals if needed to achieve the perfect consistency.
- Lovingly paint the warm tarts with a gossamer layer of pepper jelly glaze, then rest them on a wire rack to cool briefly before presenting these savory treasures.
Notes
- Customize heat levels by removing jalapeño seeds for milder flavor or adding extra for more intense spiciness.
- Substitute bacon with vegetarian bacon bits or smoked paprika to create a meat-free version that maintains smoky depth.
- Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature for smoother, easier mixing and more consistent filling texture.
- Freeze pastry sheets for 10 minutes before cutting to achieve cleaner, more precise rectangle shapes and prevent
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg