CHRISTMAS TREE with FRUIT only 3 INGREDIENTS Kiwi Nutella and Puff Pastry
Recipes prepared during the Holidays often evoke shapes of typical Christmas symbols like Stars, Wreaths, or Trees to be not only tasty but also scenic and surprise our guests.
But it’s not necessary to spend hours in the kitchen or be Master Pastry Chefs to create something original, nor do you need access to special ingredients.
Today I’ll explain how to prepare in a few minutes and with only 3 Ingredients a dessert that is beautiful to look at and tasty to eat in its simplicity: the CHRISTMAS TREE with FRUIT, perfect to beautifully conclude a lunch or dinner during the festive season.
A quick recipe that is prepared in little time: the puff pastry bases bake in the oven in less than 20 minutes, and if you don’t feel like preparing them, you can also replace them with ready-made Digestive biscuits or Vol-au-Vents found at the supermarket.
This Fruit Christmas Tree dessert is made with a base of ready-made puff pastry found in the supermarket’s fridge section, cut into many circles that are then baked “blind” (i.e., without filling) in the oven. Once the bases are baked, simply slice Kiwi into rounds (or even Apples – check out my Fruit Trees with Apples), use cookie cutters in the shape of flowers (or circles) in three different sizes, stack them on the baked puff pastry bases filled with Nutella, decorate with candied cherries, and dust with powdered sugar to simulate snow.
In just a few minutes, you’ll have created sweet Puff Pastry Tarts CHRISTMAS TREE FRUIT, super indulgent with Nutella and fresh fruit, almost too cute to eat.
If you liked this Fruit Christmas Tree recipe, also check out the version with Apples HERE.
Other recipes that can inspire you for the holiday menu:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: New Year, Christmas
- Energy 217.82 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 28.90 (g) of which sugars 16.32 (g)
- Proteins 2.56 (g)
- Fat 10.72 (g) of which saturated 3.53 (g)of which unsaturated 6.64 (g)
- Fibers 2.34 (g)
- Sodium 60.91 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 roll puff pastry (or 12 Digestive biscuits)
- 3 kiwi (ripe)
- to taste Nutella®
- 12 candied cherry
- powdered sugar (for dusting)
Tools
- Muffin Tray
- Cookie Cutter
Steps
If you do not intend to prepare the pastry bases and will compose your Fruit Christmas Tree Dessert using ready-made cookies or Vol-au-Vents, go directly to the second step.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Unroll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a cookie cutter (diameter 2 inches), cut as many circles as possible from the puff pastry. Place each circle in the prepared muffin tray holes lined with parchment paper. Press them slightly to adhere and create a slight raised edge. Proceed to blind bake (placing dried beans inside each to prevent puffing during baking). Bake the pastry bases in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
Peel the Kiwis and then slice them horizontally into rounds about 1/8 inch thick. At this point, using flower-shaped cookie cutters with the same design but in 2 different sizes, cut out 36 large Kiwi Flowers and 24 medium ones.
Place the cooled pastry bases on a serving plate. Begin assembling the first Fruit Christmas Tree. Place a generous spoonful of Nutella in the center of a base’s hollow. Place a large Kiwi flower on top, use a dab of Nutella as glue to place another large Kiwi flower on top, and continue stacking. Each of your Fruit Christmas Trees will be composed of 3 large Flowers and 2 small Flowers.
Finish each fruit Christmas tree by placing a candied cherry as the “tree topper” (also using a dab of Nutella as glue). Proceed the same way until all 12 fruit Christmas trees are completed. Dust everything with powdered sugar at the last minute to give the snow effect. Do not do this earlier as the powdered sugar would melt upon contact with the fruit. Serve your fruit Christmas trees and Happy Holidays!
TIPS
PUFF PASTRY: For this recipe, I used ready-made puff pastry found in the supermarket fridge section. If desired, you can replace it with Shortcrust Pastry or choose gluten-free puff pastry for a gluten-free version. To shorten the time, use simple Digestive biscuits as bases (they are round and the right size) or ready-made vol-au-vents.
KIWI: I chose Kiwis for these fruit Christmas trees, but apples work great too (see my CHRISTMAS TREES with Apples and Honey).
NUTELLA: You don’t have to use Nutella, any hazelnut cream will do. You can replace it with Pistachio Cream or simply with Honey.
SAVORY VARIANT CHRISTMAS TREE TARTLETS with Apples and Cheese
To turn this recipe into a savory appetizer, I propose this version with puff pastry and cheese. You’ll need 2 Apples, 9 oz of brie or another creamy cheese like gorgonzola, and Honey. For the procedure, once the puff pastry bases are placed on the muffin tray, add a piece of cheese to the center and then stack the apple slices on top, trying to recreate a Christmas tree. Brush the fruit with Honey while the puff pastry with beaten egg. Bake in a static oven at 375°F for about 18 minutes.
Remove and let cool slightly before serving: your Fruit and Cheese Christmas Tree appetizer is ready! Serve still warm so the brie remains creamy.
PUFF PASTRY: For this recipe, I used ready-made puff pastry found in the supermarket fridge section. If desired, you can replace it with Shortcrust Pastry or choose gluten-free puff pastry for a gluten-free version. To shorten the time, use simple Digestive biscuits as bases (they are round and the right size) or ready-made vol-au-vents.
KIWI: I chose Kiwis for these fruit Christmas trees, but apples work great too (see my CHRISTMAS TREES with Apples and Honey).
NUTELLA: You don’t have to use Nutella, any hazelnut cream will do. You can replace it with Pistachio Cream or simply with Honey.
SAVORY VARIANT CHRISTMAS TREE TARTLETS with Apples and Cheese
To turn this recipe into a savory appetizer, I propose this version with puff pastry and cheese. You’ll need 2 Apples, 9 oz of brie or another creamy cheese like gorgonzola, and Honey. For the procedure, once the puff pastry bases are placed on the muffin tray, add a piece of cheese to the center and then stack the apple slices on top, trying to recreate a Christmas tree. Brush the fruit with Honey while the puff pastry with beaten egg. Bake in a static oven at 375°F for about 18 minutes.
Remove and let cool slightly before serving: your Fruit and Cheese Christmas Tree appetizer is ready! Serve still warm so the brie remains creamy.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is blind baking of puff pastry?
Blind baking or baking in white is a technique used for preparing pastry bases (including shortcrust or brisè) when they need to be filled later. This technique is perfect for creating sweet or savory dishes where the filling doesn’t require cooking. To blind bake or bake in white, you place a weight to ensure the pastry doesn’t puff up and lose its shape during baking. Typically, ceramic spheres, dried beans, or rice are used as weights.
