8 ounces brie cheese, chilled and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup cranberry sauce, whole berry preferred
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 cup cooked turkey bacon, crumbled (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Preparation and Oven Setup. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a mini muffin tin with butter or non stick spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your thawed puff pastry sheet just enough to smooth out the creases. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the pastry into 24 equal squares, roughly two inches by two inches each.
Step 2: Assemble the Pastry Cups. Gently press each pastry square into the individual cups of your mini muffin tin. You want the corners of the pastry to stick up slightly to create a rustic, festive look. Place one small cube of brie cheese into the center of each pastry square. Follow this with a small teaspoon of cranberry sauce placed right on top of the cheese.
Step 3: Add the Toppings. Sprinkle the chopped pecans and the crumbled turkey bacon, if you are using it, over the cranberry sauce. The nuts will toast beautifully in the oven, adding a wonderful aroma to your kitchen. Lightly press the toppings down so they stay nestled within the pastry as it rises.
Step 4: Bake to Perfection. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. You are looking for the puff pastry to become a deep golden brown and the cheese to be completely melted and bubbly. Once finished, remove the tin from the oven and let the appetizers cool for at least five minutes before attempting to remove them.
Step 5: Final Garnish. Drizzle a tiny bit of honey over each warm appetizer and sprinkle with the freshly chopped rosemary. The green of the rosemary against the red cranberry sauce looks just like Christmas decorations. Serve them warm on a beautiful wooden platter or a festive ceramic plate.
