The Puff Pastry Christmas Tree is the appetizer that is appetizing and scenic, surprising everyone during the holidays. It is made with few ingredients, requires very little time, and is perfect to bring to the table to wow guests at first glance. A collection of small puff pastry balls filled with cooked ham and scamorza cheese, soft inside and golden outside, forming an irresistible little tree.
The most convenient thing? You can prepare it in advance, store it in the fridge, and bake it an hour before serving: the aroma that comes from the oven will make it irresistible!
Discover also:
- Puff Pastry Star with Brie, a savory tart with a soft and stringy heart!
- Puff Pastry Stars with Lentils, a quick and delicious vegetarian appetizer!
- Bread Baskets with Russian Salad, easy and fabulous!
- Salmon Croissants with Puff Pastry and Ricotta, easy and super fast!
- Vol-au-vent with Smoked Salmon and Broccoli Mousse
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year's Eve
Ingredients to make the Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with Ham and Cheese
- 1 roll puff pastry
- 3.5 oz cooked ham
- 5.3 oz scamorza cheese
- 1 egg
- as needed poppy seeds (or sesame seeds)
Tools to make the Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with Ham and Cheese
- Pastry Wheels
- Cutting Board
- Brush
- Baking Paper
- Baking Tray
How to make the Puff Pastry Christmas Tree with Ham and Cheese
Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into 6 vertical strips and 6-7 horizontal ones, obtaining about 42 squares.
Place a piece of cooked ham and a cube of scamorza cheese on each square.
Close each square by bringing the corners towards the center and round them with your hands to obtain small well-sealed balls.
Arrange the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, forming the shape of a Christmas tree.
Beat the egg and brush the surface of the tree, then sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Bake at 410°F for 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden.
Storage
You can assemble the tree in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours, well covered with plastic wrap.
Once cooked, it keeps for 1 day at room temperature; reheat it in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes to make it crisp again.
You can also freeze it raw already formed: cook it directly from frozen by adding 5–7 minutes to the cooking time.
Tips
You can replace scamorza with provolone, fontina, or emmental.
If you want a more rustic taste, use speck or pancetta instead of ham.
For a scenic touch, cut out a puff pastry star and place it on top.
Variations
Vegetarian: ricotta and spinach, or well-drained tomato and mozzarella.
Gourmet: prosciutto and brie, or smoked salmon and robiola.
Sweet: hazelnut cream or jam, with powdered sugar after baking.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can you use round puff pastry?
Yes, but rectangular allows for more regular squares.
What if the scamorza releases water?
Better to use a slightly dry scamorza or dry the cubes with paper towels.
Do the balls need to be the same size?
Yes, to ensure even cooking and a more harmonious look.
