Mini Festive Brie, Cranberry & Mushroom Tartlets
Golden puff pastry tartlets filled with garlicky mushrooms, melted brie and a glossy cranberry glaze — perfect for Christmas parties.
These bite-sized brioche-free tartlets are a proper party cheat: buttery puff pastry, garlicky chestnut mushrooms and melting brie lifted by a sweet-tart cranberry glaze. They look impressively festive but are quick enough to make the day before.
Make them for a Christmas drinks party — they’re easy to pop in the oven and feed a crowd, and everyone will assume you spent hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 325 g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet
- 200 g brie — cut into 24 small pieces
- 200 g chestnut mushrooms — finely chopped
- 1 brown onion — finely diced
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil
- 10 ml fresh thyme — leaves only
- 150 g cranberry sauce
- 15 ml honey
- 1 lemon — zest only
- 1 egg — beaten for glaze
- 40 g pistachios, shelled — roughly crushed
- 5 ml salt
- 0 ml black pepper — freshly ground
Equipment
- 12-hole mini muffin tin (or two 12-hole tins)
- pastry brush
- rolling pin
- food processor (optional for chopping mushrooms)
Instructions
Unroll the ready-rolled puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Trim and cut into 24 roughly equal squares (about 6–7 cm). Gently press each square into the holes of a 12-hole mini muffin tin (you may need two tins).
Heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the brown onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft. Add the chestnut mushrooms and a pinch of salt, cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it has mostly evaporated and the mushrooms are golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in the fresh thyme, black pepper and the zest of the lemon, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
Place the pastry-lined tins in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. This stops the cases shrinking as they bake and helps them hold their shape.
While the pastry chills, mix the cranberry sauce with the honey and a little lemon zest to loosen and brighten it.
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the mushroom mixture into each chilled pastry case, top with a small piece of brie, then add a small dollop (about 1/2 teaspoon) of the cranberry-honey mix.
Brush the exposed pastry with the beaten egg, then scatter the crushed pistachios over the tarts.
Bake the tartlets on the middle shelf for 18 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden and the brie is melted and bubbling.
Leave the tartlets to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Dry the mushrooms thoroughly while cooking — this avoids soggy pastry. Cook until their liquid has mostly evaporated.
- You can assemble the tartlets, freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a bag; bake from frozen adding 3–4 minutes to the baking time.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, use a small ovenproof ramekin or cut pastry into slightly larger squares and use fewer tartlets.
- To reheat, warm in a 160°C fan/180°C conventional oven for 6–8 minutes until crisp and warm through.
- Toast the pistachios briefly in a dry frying pan for more fragrance before crushing.
Substitutions
brie → goat's cheese, 200 g
Stays closeready-rolled puff pastry sheet → filo pastry (brush each sheet with melted butter; expect a flakier, crisper texture), use 8–10 sheets
Noticeably differentpistachios, shelled → walnuts or pecans, 40 g
Noticeably differentchestnut mushrooms → mixed mushrooms, 200 g
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 132
- Calories
- 3 g
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 170 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these ahead?
Yes — you can fully prepare and assemble, then freeze unbaked on a tray. Once solid, bag them; bake from frozen, adding 3–4 minutes to the baking time.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Use a gluten-free puff pastry in place of the ready-rolled puff pastry sheet, but note gluten-free pastry can be more fragile and may not puff as much.
How do I stop the pastry shrinking?
Chill the filled pastry shells for 30 minutes before baking and avoid overstretching when lining the tin. Also ensure the oven is properly preheated.
Can I omit the nuts for nut-free guests?
Yes — simply skip the pistachios and finish with a tiny thyme leaf for colour and texture instead.
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