The puff pastry Christmas trees with salmon are one of those Christmas appetizers that win everyone over at first glance: super easy, eye-catching, and ready in no time. Perfect for enhancing your holiday buffet or accompanying a quick aperitif, these little crispy trees instantly bring Christmas spirit to the table.
The base is ready-made puff pastry, which is cut with a cookie cutter to obtain the tree shape, while the smoked salmon filling adds an elegant and flavorful touch. And if you want to change the flavor? You can replace the salmon with cold cuts, spreadable cheeses, or sauces, adapting the recipe to your holiday menus. I make them every year, and they always disappear in a flash!
If you’re ready to bring a beautiful and delicious Christmas appetizer to the table, here is the recipe!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Seasonality: Christmas
- Energy 375.51 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.62 (g) of which sugars 0.71 (g)
- Proteins 11.10 (g)
- Fat 25.47 (g) of which saturated 3.37 (g)of which unsaturated 18.05 (g)
- Fibers 0.88 (g)
- Sodium 623.93 (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
- 3.5 oz smoked salmon
- 1.4 oz cream cheese
- 1 egg
- poppy seeds (to taste)
Tools
- Baking sheet
- Bowl
- Brush
- Cutter tree-shaped
- Rolling pin
Preparation
Open the puff pastry and divide it into 2 parts.
Spread the cream cheese on one part, and top with the slices of smoked salmon (1).
Cover with the other part of the pastry and press well using the rolling pin.
Using the cutter, cut out the trees, trying to create as little waste as possible (2).
Place the trees on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Brush them with a beaten egg, and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds to taste (3).
Put the baking sheet in a fan oven at 356-365°F and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and dry.
The puff pastry Christmas trees with salmon are ready, let them cool for a few minutes before serving… enjoy your meal!
Tips and Notes
With these quantities, you’ll get about 25 small trees; the number obviously depends on the size of your cutter. You can double the quantities by stacking 2 rolls of puff pastry.
As for cheese, you can use classic Philadelphia (even lactose-free), or robiola or ricotta.
FAQ
How can I replace the salmon?
You can fill the trees with cold cuts like speck, salami, or cooked ham. Alternatively, you can use only cheese (perhaps flavored with herbs) or a sauce like pesto or olive pâté.
Can I create different shapes?
Of course, you can cut the snacks with the cutters you prefer, or cut simple squares with a pastry wheel.
