Pesto Christmas Tree and a Glass of Fizz

This savoury pastry in the shape of a Christmas tree adds some extra fun this party season. It’s  a really easy to make  centre piece ideal when having friends around for festive drinks. Served with a champagne cocktail, your party is sure to go with a swing.

I can not take credit for the idea of puff pastry in the shape of a Christmas tree, I spotted it somewhere on the net last year (on one of those mini videos on Facebook, if I remember correctly). As I had  a few friends around for drinks on Christmas Eve, I decided to give it a try. It was a fun idea and was as easy to make as it looked in the video (ie very easy).

So this year I have made it again  so that I could share the idea with you. It requires two sheets of ready rolled puff pastry, some pesto, a little beaten egg and a little parmesan cheese.  Then it is just a case of cutting a basic Christmas tree shape and twisting the branches to give a pretty effect.  This year I have a seen a few on the Net, made with Nutella to make a sweet version.

Pesto Christmas Tree and a Glass of Fizz
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

•     1 - (17.3 oz) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
•     1 egg, beaten
•     4 to 6 Tablespoons prepared Pesto Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Sprinkle a little flour on top of a sheet of parchment paper.
3. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on top of the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the puff pastry sheet into an 11 X 13 inch rectangle. Gently lift the parchment paper and transfer to a baking sheet.
4. Spread the pesto sauce on top of the puff pastry sheet being careful not to go too close to the edge.
5. Unfold the second sheet of puff pastry and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out also into an 11 X 13 inch rectangle.
6. Gently place the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the first sheet of puff pastry that has the pesto sauce. Press gently to seal the two sheets together.
7. Using a piece of printer paper or parchment paper, cut out a Christmas tree shape to use as a template.
8. Place the Christmas tree template on top of the puff pastry and using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut out the Christmas tree shape. Reserve the extra pieces.
9. Now it's time to form and slice the "branches" of the tree. I like to place a ruler down the center of the puff pastry Christmas tree to use as a guide, but it's not necessary.
10. Report this ad
11. Starting on one side, make horizontal slices into the sides of the Christmas tree triangle being careful to stop before you reach the center.
12. Repeat the same process on the other side of the Christmas tree triangle; again being careful to stop before reaching the center. You want to leave a 1 to 2 inch section down the middle of the tree that is not sliced.
13. Starting at the bottom, twist the branches away from you. Press the edge of the branch firmly into the parchment paper to keep the branch from untwisting.
14. Continue twisting the branches moving up the tree and then move on to the other side and twist those branches as well.
15. With the excess puff pastry, use a star cookie cutter and make a star for the top of the tree. You can also cut out more shapes for the excess puff pastry and bake them separately as well.
16. Brush the entire pastry with the beaten egg.
17. Bake in the preheated oven until puffy and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
18. You can gently slide the Christmas tree pastry on to a serving platter. Or lift the parchment paper off the baking tray and place on top of a serving platter.

Pesto Christmas Tree and a Glass of Fizz #Pesto #Christmas #Tree and a #Glass of Fizz Bread Recipes Easy, Bread Recipes Homemade, Bread Recipes Sweet, Bread Recipes Gluten Free, Bread Recipes Italian, Bread Recipes Quick, Bread Recipes Artisan, Bread Recipes Yeast, Bread Recipes Healthy, Bread Recipes Foccacia, Bread Recipes Banana, Bread Recipes Crusty, Bread Recipes Sourdough, Bread Recipes Whole Wheat, Bread Recipes French, Bread Recipes Kitchenaid, Bread Recipes Breadmaker, Bread Recipes Breakfast, Bread Recipes Sandwich, Bread Recipes Dessert, Bread Recipes Rolls, Bread Recipes Savory, Bread Recipes Keto, Bread Recipes Zucchini, Bread Recipes White,