Description
Delectable Cranberry and Brie Puff Pastry Cups combine elegant French cheese with tart holiday berries in a flaky pastry shell. Festive appetizers emerge crisp and golden, perfect for winter entertaining when guests crave something special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 sheets puff pastry (thawed)
- 8 oz (226 g) brie cheese
- 1.5 cups (355 ml) whole berry cranberry sauce
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat: Warm the oven to 375°F, preparing a perfect environment for golden, crispy pastry transformation.
- Pastry Preparation: Unfold thawed puff pastry and slice into precise 3-inch squares, ensuring uniform sizing for consistent baking results.
- Shaping: Gently press pastry squares into mini muffin tin wells, allowing the dough to mold smoothly into curved contours with delicate precision.
- Cheese Layer: Position compact brie portions centrally within each pastry shell, creating a creamy foundation for the subsequent layers.
- Cranberry Topping: Spread vibrant cranberry sauce generously over the brie, allowing the rich crimson compote to cascade across the cheese surface with elegant irregularity.
- Baking Process: Transfer the loaded muffin tin to the preheated oven, observing the pastry’s dramatic metamorphosis as edges curl and turn golden while cheese melts and cranberry sauce bubbles enticingly.
- Finishing Touch: After 10-12 minutes, remove cups when edges are perfectly crisp, cheese is molten, and cranberry topping displays a glossy, appetizing sheen. Allow brief resting time to stabilize temperatures and meld flavors before serving.
Notes
- Pastry Perfection: Ensure puff pastry is fully thawed but still cold for the flakiest, most delicate texture that creates stunning, crispy cups.
- Cheese Selection: Choose a high-quality, creamy brie that melts smoothly and complements the tangy cranberry sauce for maximum flavor impact.
- Precise Placement: Press pastry squares gently but firmly into muffin tin wells to create even, cup-shaped shells that bake uniformly and hold their shape.
- Serving Tip: Allow cups to cool slightly before serving to prevent burning and let flavors meld, creating a more balanced and enjoyable appetizer experience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg