The Christmas tartlets are a quick, no-bake Christmas appetizer that is super tasty and also beautiful to look at. I thought of this recipe inspired by the savory Christmas candles I made last year, making them in an even easier and faster version, without needing to cook anything. I named them by joining the words tartlets and candles because the tartlets are tartines with rustic candles on top. Initially, I just wanted to make simple star-shaped sandwiches, but then, while preparing them, I decorated them with pistachio crumbs and pink pepper to make them even more beautiful and colorful, and I’m really satisfied with the result. These Christmas tartlets are perfect for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day dinner, a Christmas appetizer also ideal as a centerpiece or edible place card. Either way, you’ll make a big impression with little effort, winning over all your guests!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 20 Pieces
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
Ingredients
- 7 oz emmental cheese
- 4.5 oz cream cheese
- 1.75 oz tuna in oil (drained weight)
- 0.9 oz unsalted pistachios
- 20 pickled onions
- 5 slices sandwich bread
- to taste black pepper
- to taste pink pepper
Steps
The tartlets are super easy and quick to prepare. First, prepare the filling by mixing cream cheese, drained tuna, and a pinch of black pepper with a fork.
Take the slices of sandwich bread and, with a star-shaped cutter, cut out many little stars. I got 8 stars per slice and used a 2-inch cutter. Cut the emmental into sticks about 0.4 inches wide and 2 inches tall.
Fill one star with some tuna cream and close with another star. Spread a thin layer of cream on the surface and dip the star into the crushed pistachios along with a few pink peppercorns.
Pierce a piece of cheese with a toothpick, place the cheese on top of the star, and put a pickled onion on top to create the flame and “light up” our Christmas tartlets.
Make all the Christmas tartlets like this, and if you want, add some coarsely crushed pink peppercorns for more color.
Advice:
The Christmas tartlets can be stored at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator for a couple of days. For the star tartine filling, you can use any ingredients you like, including pâté, or a cream of cream cheese and cooked ham, mortadella, salami, smoked salmon, or anything else you fancy, or olives or sun-dried tomatoes for a vegetarian version.
More Christmas appetizer recipes HERE
