Assorted Mini Puff Pastries

Ingredients

• 2 rolls rectangular puff pastry (about 500 g, keep refrigerated until use)
• 200 g herbed garlic cream cheese (herbed Philadelphia type)
• 200 g smoked salmon (sliced into strips)
• 4 units eggs (2 for egg wash, 2 for possible mixtures; lightly beaten)
• 2 c. à soupe milk (to dilute the egg yolk for the wash)
• 150 g cream cheese (for the ham filling)
• 2 units onion (medium, finely sliced)
• 100 g turkey ham (cut into strips)
• 200 g ground beef (15 % fat)
• 0.5 unit green bell pepper (diced)
• 0.5 unit red bell pepper (diced)
• 100 g canned tomato sauce (use very little, just to moisten the filling)
• 1 c. à café paprika (to season the meat)
• 0.5 c. à café dried oregano (or thyme)
• 50 g grated cheese (Gruyère) (optional, for the meat filling)
• 150 g ground chicken (or ground turkey)
• 100 g button mushrooms (sliced)
• 50 g sour cream (to make the filling moist)
• 1 c. à soupe fresh parsley (chopped, adds freshness)
• 10 units black olives (to decorate the edges of the round mini puffs)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the dough

   Preheat the oven to 190 °C on convection mode. Remove the two rolls of puff pastry from the refrigerator and place them on a lightly floured surface.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 190°C

2. Prepare the salmon‑cheese filling

   In a bowl, mix the herbed cream cheese with a pinch of pepper. Spread an even layer on the pastry, place the smoked salmon strips, then roll the pastry onto itself.

   Time: PT10M

3. Shape the salmon mini puffs

   Cut the roll into pieces of 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Brush each piece with a mixture of egg yolk and milk.

   Time: PT10M

4. Prepare the caramelized ham‑onion filling

   Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan, add 1 sliced onion and cook over medium heat until golden and slightly caramelized, season with salt. Mix the cream cheese with the caramelized onion and the turkey ham cut into strips.

   Time: PT12M

5. Shape the ham mini puffs

   Spread the filling on the pastry, roll and cut into 1 cm pieces. Brush each piece with the egg‑yolk‑milk mixture.

   Time: PT8M

6. Prepare the meat‑pepper filling

   In a pan, sauté 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 sliced onion, 200 g ground beef, ½ green bell pepper and ½ red bell pepper diced. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and oregano. Add 100 g canned tomato sauce, cook 5 min, then let cool.

   Time: PT15M

7. Shape the meat mini puffs

   Cut the pastry into squares (about 5 cm). Place a spoonful of filling in the center, add a little grated cheese if desired, fold the opposite corners together and secure with a black olive. Brush with egg yolk.

   Time: PT8M

8. Prepare the chicken‑mushroom filling

   Sauté 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 sliced onion, 150 g ground chicken and 100 g sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, add 50 g sour cream at the end of cooking and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Let warm.

   Time: PT12M

9. Shape the round chicken mini puffs

   Layer two rectangles of pastry, cut circles about 5 cm in diameter. Brush the edges with egg yolk, press the two layers together, then brush the top. Bake, and once out, lightly hollow the center and add the chicken‑mushroom filling.

   Time: PT8M

10. Brush all the puffs

    In a small bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks with 2 tbsp milk. Brush each puff (except the center of the rounds) with this mixture.

    Time: PT5M

11. Bake

    Bake the mini puffs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and well risen.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: 190°C

12. Finishing and serving

    Let cool for 5 minutes, arrange the puffs on a platter, garnish with a few black olives and some parsley leaves. Serve warm with crudités if desired.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

600

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

35 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of rectangular puff pastry: shortcrust pastry, croissant dough
• Instead of herbed garlic cream cheese: seasoned cottage cheese, flavored ricotta
• Instead of smoked salmon: smoked trout, smoked bacon
• Instead of eggs: flax egg + water (for vegetarian egg wash)
• Instead of milk: almond milk
• Instead of cream cheese: ricotta
• Instead of onion: shallot
• Instead of turkey ham: chicken ham, smoked turkey
• Instead of ground beef: ground turkey
• Instead of green bell pepper: yellow bell pepper
• Instead of red bell pepper: orange bell pepper
• Instead of canned tomato sauce: passata
• Instead of paprika: sweet paprika
• Instead of dried oregano: thyme
• Instead of grated cheese (Gruyère): emmental, comté
• Instead of ground chicken: ground turkey
• Instead of button mushrooms: porcini, shiitake
• Instead of sour cream: heavy cream, Greek yogurt
• Instead of fresh parsley: chives
• Instead of black olives: green olives

Equipment Needed

• oven
• baking sheet
• parchment paper
• chef's knife
• cutting board
• mixing bowl
• kitchen brush
• non‑stick skillet
• wooden spatula
• cheese grater (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Keep the puff pastry well chilled before cutting.
• Do not overload the puffs with filling to avoid tearing.
• Brush properly with egg yolk to achieve a nice golden color.
• Monitor the oven baking to avoid over‑browning.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use slightly drained cream cheese to avoid excess moisture.
• Lightly sprinkle sesame seeds on the puffs before baking for extra crunch.
• Serve with a chive‑yogurt sauce to accompany the meat varieties.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours if left at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare all fillings the day before and keep them refrigerated.
• Keep the puff pastry chilled until assembly.