It's my favorite time of year and I am known for going overboard during the holidays, so I keep a few things simple like using these easy puff pastry treats for holiday entertaining!
Everyone is always impressed with both the taste and appearance, and I save time and streamline my holiday party preparation - always a plus!!
Here are a couple of my holiday hits that I like to use Puff Pastry Sheets for: puff pastry apple tarts and apple cranberry jelly puff pastry cases. I barely roll out the prepared sheets for either (making them quicker and easier than you would think!).
It's easy to be the hit of the party with these quick and easy puff pastry delights!
In the case of the puff pastry apple tart, simply roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and transfer to a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Arrange the apple slices and use a fork to poke around the apples to keep it from bubbling between the apples, then sprinkle with sugar and add the thin sliced butter over the sliced apples.
apples lined up on the puff pastry before baking...
puff pastry apple tart right after trimming the edges and before serving
Check the apple tart about halfway through baking (15 minutes) and use a fork to pop any bubbles in the puff pastry that may have formed. Once done simply trim the edges off, and slice into finger food sized bars. Garnish with a vanilla drizzle and/or a dusting of confectioners sugar when serving.
While your puff pastry apple tart is baking, slice up a couple more of your honeycrisp apples and start cooking them at medium high heat with butter, cranberries, sugar, and vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract). Let the jelly simmer at medium high heat for approximately 15 minutes or until thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
To start your brightly colored and totally tangy apple cranberry jelly puff pastry cases, transfer 1 sheet to a lightly floured surface and roll the pre-packed puff pastry sheet out so that it is as close to square shaped as possible. Using a sharp paring knife, cut the sheet into 4 squares approximately 4-5 inches in width.
my apple cranberry jelly cooking down for the puff pastry cases...
cut two squares into the puff pastry
Once the squares are cut, cut smaller squares within each making about ½ inch wide border. Fold one tip over to the opposite tip and press down to make a 'boxed' square frame. Using your sharp paring knife, cut half depth around the inside of the boxed frame and then transfer to greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
cut puff pastry cases on the baking sheet
baked puff pastry cases before filling with the apple cranberry jelly
Bake until puffed and golden, then remove from the oven and cut out the center square 'lid'. Fill with the apple cranberry jelly, top it off with a generous dollop of whipped cream then set the cut out lid back in place for a show stopping party delight!
Watch our Easy Puff Pastry Treats for Holiday Entertaining! on the Bake It With Love YouTube channel
Puff Pastry Apple Tart & Apple Cranberry Jelly Puff Pastry Cases
Ingredients
Puff Pastry Apple Tart
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 3 honeycrisp apples (3 medium or 2 large)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon confectioners sugar (optional icing - plus more for dusting if desired)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional icing)
- 1 teaspoon milk (optional icing)
Apple Cranberry Jelly Puff Pastry Cases
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 2 honeycrisp apples
- 6 oz fresh cranberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- ½ cup whipped cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar (optional - for garnish)
Instructions
Puff Pastry Apple Tart
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and grease or line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one thawed Puff Pastry Sheet so that it is smooth and flat and no more than ¼ inch in thickness. Transfer to a greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Slice rinsed honeycrisp apples leaving the skins on, making sure that the slices are relatively close in size for even baking. Arrange the apple slices on the Puff Pastry Sheet and poke around them with the tines of a fork to prevent the puff pastry from rising between the apples.
- Sprinkle the sugar over the apple slices, then top with thinly sliced butter. Place in your preheated oven and bake halfway (15 minutes). Pull the tart out of the oven and use your fork to burst any bubbles that may have formed in the puff pastry as it bakes.
- Return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the apple slices are all tender and the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cutting board to cut into bite size servings or larger.
- If desired, mix the 2 tablespoon of confectioners sugar with vanilla extract and milk and drizzle over cut apple tart pieces. Dust with another tablespoon of confectioners sugar for additional garnish.
Apple Cranberry Jelly Puff Pastry Cases
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and grease or line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice and cut 2 rinsed honeycrisp apples and cook them over medium high heat in a skillet or frying pan with 2 tablespoon of butter. Add the cranberries, sugar, vanilla paste, and cinnamon. Allow the jelly to simmer down for about 15 minutes, or until thickened and not runny. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one thawed Puff Pastry Sheet so that it is smooth and flat and no more than ¼ inch in thickness. Roll the Puff Pastry Sheet out into as much of a square shape as possible, then cut 4 large 4-5 inch squares out of the Puff Pastry Sheet using a sharp paring knife.
- Using your sharp paring knife, cut a smaller box within each puff pastry square with about a ½ inch border. Cross the corners of the outer square over/under each other and press down along the edges of the smaller box creating a frame.
- Once the boxes and frames are made, use the paring knife again to cut a half depth box inside the boxed frame. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or until a nice golden brown (start checking at the 15-20 minute mark). Remove when fully baked and transfer to a cooling rack or cutting board.
- Cut the boxed square center out to use as a 'lid' later, set aside. Fill each puff pastry case with the apple cranberry jelly then top with a large dollop of whipped cream and set the puff pastry lid on the top. Dust with confectioners sugar for additional garnish, if desired.
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Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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