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Snack & Appetizers

Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

A Christmas finger food appetizer ready in minutes: quick, easy, sure to impress and easy to customize however you like.
Recipe Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation 5 minutes
  • Cooking 15 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

We love savory puff pastry trees because, besides being super quick to make, in recent years they have become a fixture on our Christmas tables: not only do they decorate the table with their festive look, but they are also a fantastic finger food for the aperitivo or to go with the meal, as each guest can pull a branch off the tree.

The cleverest thing about this recipe is that you can fill the Puff Pastry Trees with whatever ingredients you like, even leftovers from the fridge: ham, mozzarella, speck, fontina, pesto, salmon, olive spread and even sweet ingredients like Nutella… the only limit is your imagination, so go ahead and experiment with Stuffed Puff Pastry Trees.

To make these showstopping little puff pastry trees, all you really need are ordinary sheets of puff pastry, simply twisted to form the branches. Thanks to its simplicity, this dish is great served cold, and it is also perfect to pop in the oven at the last minute, right before Christmas Eve dinner begins… try it and you’ll make a great impression.

Be sure not to miss all our Must-Try Recipes for the Christmas Menu, and if you liked the idea of stuffed Puff Pastry Trees, try the Christmas Tree Place Cards too, another original and… tasty idea.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the Puff Pastry Christmas Tree, start by unrolling a sheet of puff pastry (ideally rectangular) and score it with a knife to draw the shape of a tree with its base (an isosceles triangle for the tree and a rectangle for the base). Cut a star out of the leftover pastry to place on top of the tree.
    Puff Pastry Christmas Tree, step 1: the tree shape scored on the puff pastry
  2. Transfer the pastry tree to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Fill your tree with the pesto, spreading a thin layer over the whole surface of the pastry. If you like, you can swap in your favorite fillings: cheese, ham or even Nutella.
    Puff Pastry Christmas Tree, step 2: pesto spread over the pastry tree
  3. Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry and lay it over the first one, which you have spread with pesto. Using a pizza cutter, trace the shape of the tree, cutting away the excess pastry (which you will use to make the star for the top and for any other recipes).
    Puff Pastry Christmas Tree, step 3: the second sheet laid on top and trimmed to the tree shape
  4. Now that your tree is formed, again using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut strips along both sides of the tree, making sure to leave at least 3-4 cm uncut in the center: these will become your branches.
    Puff Pastry Christmas Tree, step 4: strips cut along both sides of the tree
  5. Twist each strip around itself and, once you’re done, brush the tree with the egg yolk.
    Puff Pastry Christmas Tree, step 5: the branches twisted and brushed with egg yolk
  6. Bake at 150 °C (300 °F) for about 15 minutes (check that the pastry doesn’t burn). Decorate as you like with a few cherry tomatoes or other ingredients (such as olives) and serve your Puff Pastry Christmas Tree. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

You can try endless variations, both in the shape of the pastry and in the filling.

Tips

If you have trouble drawing the tree, you can use a paper template. You can also cut out both shapes at the same time to make things easier.

Also be careful not to make the branches too thin, or you may not be able to twist them.

If you use ingredients like cold cuts, make sure the slices aren’t too thick, or you’ll have a hard time cutting your tree.

Storage

Puff pastry trees should be eaten within 1-2 days of making them; be sure to keep them covered.

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