There’s nothing quite like a cozy winter bite, and our new Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Tarts have quickly become a guest favorite on the Country Willows winter menu. Made with buttery puff pastry, creamy Brie, and a bright homemade cranberry sauce, these elegant little tarts strike the perfect balance of savory and sweet. This simple yet impressive recipe brings a touch of seasonal comfort to any gathering.
Ingredients
2 sheets puff pastry dough
Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon orange zest
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces brie cheese
Course sugar, for sprinkling
Optional: 1-2 pecan halves for each
Optional for garnish: Flaky sea salt & fresh thyme
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse the cranberries and set 1/4 cup aside. You will stir these in at the end for extra texture. Combine the remaining cranberries, water, orange juice, and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until liquid has reduced and cranberries have burst and thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup reserved cranberries, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Allow to cool slightly while you continue.
Grease a 12-cup muffin pan (or use nonstick spray).
On a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, place the edge of one sheet pastry sheet over the other and use a rolling pin to adhere them together.
Roll the whole thing out into a 12×16-inch rectangle. With a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut dough into 12 four-inch squares.
Egg Wash and Assemble
Brush egg wash all over puff pastry squares, including the edges. Transfer the squares to the prepared muffin pan, pressing them down to fill each cup as a “crust.”
Slice the brie into 12 pieces, about 1/2 ounce each. Place the slices of brie in the centers of the dough crusts. Top each with a spoonful (about 2 heaping teaspoons) of slightly warm or cold cranberry sauce.
Gently fold the corners of the dough in toward the center of each tart. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops of tarts.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until tarts are golden brown.
If adding pecans, at the 10-minute mark, gently place them in the center of each tart and continue baking for the remaining 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and garnish each tart with flaky sea salt and fresh thyme leaves. Cool for a couple minutes, and then use a spoon to help remove the tarts from the pan. Serve warm.
Cover and store leftover tarts in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 300°F oven for a few minutes before serving.
