Description
Delightful apricot goat cheese puff pastry tarts featuring a flaky crust filled with creamy goat cheese, sweet apricot jam, crunchy walnuts, fragrant thyme, and a touch of hot honey for a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. These tarts make an elegant appetizer or snack, easy to prepare and bake in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough
Filling
- ⅓ cup apricot jam, or preferred flavor jam
- 3-4 oz goat cheese, softened
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 Tbsp thyme leaves
Topping
- Hot honey, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it’s hot enough for puff pastry to rise and bake evenly.
- Prepare Pastry Pieces: Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet and slice it into 9 equal pieces. If using Pepperidge Farm brand, each piece will be approximately 3.5 inches by 3.25 inches. For the Jus Roll brand, slice into 12 pieces for more but smaller tarts. Place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and score around each piece about half an inch from the edge to create a raised border after baking.
- Add Cheese: Spread softened goat cheese evenly in the center of each puff pastry piece, inside the scored border, ensuring an even layer to complement the jam and walnuts.
- Add Jam and Walnuts: Spoon apricot jam over the goat cheese layer on each tart, then sprinkle chopped walnuts atop for texture and nutty flavor. Optionally, brush the pastry edges with an egg wash (one egg whisked with a tablespoon of water) for a shiny golden finish.
- Bake: Bake the tarts in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the puff pastry is fully puffed and golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Once baked, sprinkle thyme leaves over the hot tarts and drizzle with hot honey for a sweet-spicy finish. Allow to cool for several minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.
Notes
- You can prepare the tarts in advance—allowing the assembled pastries to chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking helps meld flavors and makes for quick baking when ready.
- Store baked tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days to maintain texture and taste.
- For long-term storage, freeze the baked tarts for up to 3 months after cooling completely. Thaw before reheating.
- To reheat, bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes covered loosely with foil, or air fry at 350°F for a few minutes to retain crispiness. Avoid microwaving to keep puff pastry flaky.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tart
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
