Description
Delight your guests with these charming Puff Pastry Pesto Christmas Trees, perfect festive appetizers made with flaky puff pastry and flavorful basil pesto. Easy to prepare and bake, these mini trees are a visually appealing and delicious addition to any holiday spread.
Ingredients
Scale
Puff Pastry:
- 2 sheets puff pastry (thawed)
Filling and Toppings:
- 1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Flour for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Prepare Pastry: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out both puff pastry sheets to equal size if necessary, ensuring even layering.
- Spread Pesto: Evenly spread the basil pesto over one sheet of puff pastry, distributing it in a thin and uniform layer for balanced flavor.
- Layer Pastry Sheets: Place the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the pesto-spread sheet, creating a layered sandwich to encase the pesto.
- Cut Tree Shapes: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the stacked pastry into long triangles resembling Christmas tree shapes. Cut a small rectangle from the base of each triangle to form the tree trunk.
- Shape Branches: Gently twist the bottom sections of each triangle slightly to mimic tree branches, adding a decorative touch.
- Transfer to Baking Sheet: Place the shaped pastry trees onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly to allow for puffing during baking.
- Apply Egg Wash and Cheese: Brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg for a golden finish, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if using to add flavor and color.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown and puffed to perfection.
- Cool and Serve: Let the puff pastry trees cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature as a festive holiday appetizer.
Notes
- You can use sun-dried tomato pesto as an alternative to basil pesto for a different flavor profile.
- Add a slice of mozzarella between the puff pastry layers for a cheesy twist.
- These puff pastry trees make excellent holiday appetizers or additions to snack trays.
