Easy Brie and Honey Puff Pastry appetizers

By Rebecca St. Clair

These Brie and Honey Puff Pastry Appetizers are light and airy, full of warm rich cheese balanced perfectly with the hint of sweet honey and aromatic rosemary.

These little bite-sized finger foods are ideal to make for your next get together. They are so easy, no one will believe you made them from scratch!

Puff pastry is so versatile. You can cut puff pastry into pretty much any shape or size and fill them with an endless variety of sweet and savoury fillings. You can make this puff pastry from scratch, or buy it premade in the freezer section of the grocery store!

One of the most important things, at any party or gathering, is the food. Who doesn’t love a great spread of food to snack on all night? Even better, bite-sized appetizers and finger foods are perfect for a casual party, when a sit-down meal will not be served.

Puff pastry appetizers are great to serve for Christmas, thanksgiving, and New Year’s when you have more family and friends stopping by.

How to store Brie and Honey Puff Pastry Appetizers

Fridge

To store these pastries in the fridge for later use,

• Allow the appetizers to cool to room temperature
• Cover completely in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container
• Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer

These appetizers freeze very well baked or un baked.

To freeze leftover Brie and honey puff pastry appetizers,

• Allow the pastries to cool to room temperature
• Place them on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 to 2 hours
• Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container
• Store in the freezer for up to 3 months

To freeze unbaked Brie and Honey Bites,

• Make the recipe and form the appetizers, up until baking
• Place on a lined tray and freeze for 2 hours
• Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container
• Store in the freezer for up to 3 months
• Remove and allow to defrost on a lined baking sheet for 1 hour
• Bake according to the recipe

Reheating Brie and Honey appetizers

When you are ready to reheat your puff pastry appetizers, remove from the freezer and place in a preheated 375 °F (190 °C) oven for 8-10 minutes, or until warmed through and golden brown.

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Yes! There are so many great cheeses that would pair perfectly with the honey in this recipe. Some great alternatives are,

• Camembert
• Coulommiers
• Gouda
• Mozzarella
• Fontina
• Gorgonzola
• Parmesan
• Romano
• Gruyère

Can I assemble my Brie and Honey appetizers ahead of time?

Yes, you can make Brie and Honey Bites ahead of time.

• Make and fully assemble the appetizers
• Store them in the refrigerator, on a lined baking sheet, for a few hours or overnight
• Remove from the fridge and continue baking according to the recipe

Alternative Filling Suggestions

This recipe is extremely versatile. The sky is the limit when it comes to fillings for puff pastry.

Some of our favourite alternatives are Brie with red pepper jelly, fig jam, or cranberry sauce.

Follow the same steps in this recipe but replace the honey with red pepper jelly, fig jam, or cranberry sauce. Omit the rosemary.

How to make Brie and honey bites

Ingredients

1 recipe for puff pastry or store bought puff pastry defrosted (see recipe below for homemade puff pastry)

1 wheel of Brie Cheese

Honey

Fresh rosemary (optional)

Method

1. Roll the puff pastry into a rectangle and cut into 1½-in. squares.
2. Cut 3 or 4 diagonal slices in the centre of half of the squares. (This will be the top of the Brie bites)

3. Cut chunks of Brie slightly smaller than the squares of pastry so you can still seal the edges.

4. Place the cheese in the centre of the squares of pastry without the cuts.

5. Drizzles ½ tsp of honey overtop.

6. Add 2-3 leaves of fresh rosemary. (optional)

7. Brush a little water around the sides of the puff pastry. This will allow the two squares of pastry seal together.

8. Place the squares with the diagonal cuts on top of the squares with the cheese, honey, and rosemary.

9. Press lightly around the edges to seal.

10. Allow the pastry to rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

11. Bake in a preheated 375 °F (190 °C) oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

12. Cool slightly and serve!

Helpful hints and words you should know for making homemade puff pastry

Détrampe – This is the main bread dough.

Beurrage – This is the butter layer that you will be folding inside of the détrampe.

Take your time- It takes a few days to make really good puff pastry.

Use butter– The best puff pastry, in my opinion, is made with a high-fat butter. Anything low-fat will not make the best puff pastry.

Chill the dough and butter- When rolling out the dough, you need it to be chilled. Soft butter, it will ooze out everywhere when you are trying to get it to layer in between the dough.

Proofing your puff pastry- The final step, before baking, is to proof the dough. It is important to give your pastry enough time to rise. The temperature of your environment can make the proofing time vary quite a bit. It it a good idea to go by look, not just time alone. Your pastry should almost double in size.

Egg wash– This makes a difference on the glossy golden-brown on the outside of your pastry. I have made it with, and without, an egg wash. If you want that nice golden brown, glossy, bakery fresh look, you need to use an egg wash.

Have Fun- Once you are comfortable with the basic process of puff pastry, have fun with different variations you and your family might like. There are so many sweet and savoury fillings!

How to make you own Homemade Puff Pastry Dough

Ingredients

Détrampe

1½ cups room temperature water

2 Tablespoons dry milk powder

¼ cup sugar

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

3½ cups all-purpose (or pastry) flour

3 tablespoons butter, softened

Beurrage

1¼ cups butter

Egg Wash

1 egg (optional)

Method

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, place the warm water, milk powder, and sugar. Mix to dissolved the powder and the sugar. (If you don’t have milk powder use half milk and half water for the liquid ingredients. This is 3/4 cup water and 3/4 cup milk)
2. Add the yeast, by sprinkling it evenly over top of the water mixture.
3. Wait a few minutes and the yeast should become foamy on top.
4. Add the salt and the flour. Mix with the dough hook, until a smooth dough forms.
5. Knead in the butter to form a smooth dough. (I alternate between the slowest speed of my mixer, to one or two speeds up to mix the dough fully.) It should take about 5 minutes with a machine or 8 minutes by hand.
6. Cover and let the dough rest 30 mins.
7. Onto a rectangular cookie sheet, lined with plastic wrap, spread the dough out, with your hands, to form a rectangle. Cover and let rise on the counter for 1½ hours.
8. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
9. Meanwhile, prepare your beurrage. Using softened butter, form the butter into a square. (I place plastic wrap inside of a 8-in. square casserole dish and squish the butter out evenly into the dish to form the square.
10. Place the butter in the refrigerator. Be sure to pull it out 10 minutes before you are ready to roll it with your détrempe. This way they will both be the perfect consistency for easy rolling.

The First Roll

1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a square, slightly bigger than your beurrage.
2. Place the beurrage in the centre of the dough square, but turned so it is in a diamond shape.
3. Fold the corners of the dough over the butter layer and press to seal it in.
4. Roll the dough out into a long rectangle. (It should be about three times the width of the cookie sheet)
5. Fold the dough into thirds. (This will give you three laminated layers of butter and dough. Place back onto the cookie sheet. Cover and place back into the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.

All subsequent folds

1. Remove from the refrigerator and roll out in the opposite direction from your previous roll.
2. Roll into a long rectangle. (About three or four times the width of your cookie sheet.)
3. Fold the dough into thirds or fourths and place, covered, back into the refrigerator 4-8 hours. ( I have left mine for 12-16 hours in the refrigerator and it has been completely fine, the time is just a guideline)
4. Make 1-2 more roll and folds, as above.

Final Roll and baking

1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a very large rectangle.
2. Cut the dough into the shapes needed for your appetizers.
3. Fill the puff pastry with your fillings of choice.
4. Allow the pastry to rise 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
6. Brush with egg wash if desired. (Optional)
7. Bake the appetizers 10-12 minutes, or the time listed on the appetizer recipe.

Other easy appetizers to make with puff pastry dough

Spicy Chicken and Cheese Tartlets

Ingredients for Spicy Chicken and Cheese Tartlets

1 recipe for puff pastry or store bought puff pastry thawed

1 cooked shredded chicken breast

4oz (125 g) cream cheese (half of a brick of cream cheese)

¼ cup sour cream 125 ml

1 Tablespoons hot sauce 15 ml

½  teaspoon garlic powder 2 g

½  cup shredded cheese, like cheddar 100 g

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients, except for the shredded cheese.
2. Line a muffin tin with the puff pastry dough.
3. Scoop the filling into the tarts shells.
4. Sprinkle the cheese over top.
5. Set aside to rise, in a warm spot, 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
7. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden.

Balsamic Tomato and Feta Bites

Ingredients for Balsamic Tomato and Feta Bites

1 recipe for puff pastry or store bought pastry thawed

3-4 medium chopped tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar 30 g

salt and pepper

1 cup feta cheese 200 g

Method

1. Chop the tomatoes and mince the garlic.
2. Over medium-high heat, fry in a pan to soften and reduce down. Or you can place your skillet in a preheated 400 °F (200 °C) oven for 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut your pastry into bite-sized squares. Place them on a lined baking sheet.
4. When the tomato mixture is ready drizzle over top the balsamic vinegar.
5. Place a spoonful of the mixture into the centre of the puff pastry square.
6. Set aside to rise 30 minutes in a warm spot.
7. Place some crumbled feta cheese on top of each pastry.
8. Bake in a preheated 375 °F (190 °C) oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.
9. Cool slightly and serve!

hungry for more appetizers? These would pair perfectly with some finger foods! How to make Baked Brie, How To Make Simple Chocolate Fondue,  How to make a Cheese Fondue