I love having frozen puff pastry on hand in my home. After a quick thaw, stunning pastries, tarts, and turnovers are easily achieved with little effort. And this time of the year, an easy snack, appetizer, side dish, etc. is one of the very best gifts you can get. I like to put together a plate of these for guests any time of the day, for my family on Christmas morning since no one's holding off on what's happening under the tree for a big breakfast, for tucking alongside my favorite soups and stews that keep us all going on these busy, chilly days, and more.
If you are not a fan of spicy, you can certainly opt for any kind of preserve. I love something with texture. Save the jelly and thin jams for something else. This calls for marmalade and thick jams. If you don't have goat cheese, you can use cream cheese, blue cheese, or any soft cheese … pick something that pairs well with the other half of your filling. You can also make these pastries smaller if you are serving them as part of a selection of appetizers or on a buffet of morning treats.
I realize that many of the examples of places these pastries will work involve them being paired with something else, but over the holidays - particularly between Christmas and New Year's Day for me and mine - one of these goodies is often a quick breakfast alongside coffee before we bundle up and take the dog out for a long walk around the neighborhood. It's part of why they have a special place in my heart and an association with family holiday traditions. I hope they can find a way to help be part of yours too. Seasoned Greetings to you and yours from Seasoned Cooking!
Jalapeño Popper Pastries
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 cup goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup hot pepper preserves - I used jalapeño jam
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Unfold the puff pastry on a flat surface. Using a pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 6 equal sections.
Place each rectangle of puff pastry in each muffin top tin or put them on a baking sheet covered with a baking mat or coated in cooking spray at least 2-inches apart. Fill each pastry rectangle with a little less than ¼ cup (2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons if you must measure, but approximate is fine) of softened goat cheese. Top with a similar amount of hot pepper preserves. Carefully fold the corners toward the center of the pastry until they meet in the middle and carefully pinch them together.
Bake the pastries at 425° F for 18-22 minutes until the edges of the pastry turn golden brown.
Let them cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Yields: 6 pastries
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus cooling time