Caramelized Onion and Brie Tartlets
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Caramelized Onion and Brie Tartlets
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Makes 24 tartlets
- 3 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup water (optional)
- 4 ounces Brie cheese, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- ½ of a 17-⅓ ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
To make this delicious appetizer quickly, look for puff pastry dough in the freezer section of your favorite grocery store. Just make sure to thaw the puff pastry overnight in your refrigerator and keep it cold until ready to use. To save time before serving, you can make the onion filling and refrigerate it, covered, up to 1 day in advance. Allow the filling to return to room temperature before filling the puff pastry shells.
To prepare onion filling: Place butter and olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until butter foams. When foaming subsides, add onions and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper, stirring well to combine. Cook, stirring often, until onions release their liquid and begin to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Sprinkle sugar over onions and stir well to coat. Tuck thyme sprigs into onions and stir. Reduce heat to medium and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits, until onions are golden-brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. If onions or browned bits in the pan begin to darken too quickly, add up to ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring well. Remove onions from heat, discard thyme sprigs, and transfer onions to a large mixing bowl.
Allow onions to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. When the mixture is warm, add the brie and thoroughly combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To prepare puff pastry: Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the upper and lower thirds.
Remove one thawed puff pastry sheet from the package and unfold onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 10 by 15-inch rectangle. Using a sharp chef’s knife or pastry cutter, cut the puff pastry into 24 (2-½ inch) squares. Press the pastry squares into 24 (1-¾inch) mini muffin-pan cups.
Fill each puff pastry cup with about 1 tablespoon onion and brie filling. Transfer filled pastry cups to the preheated oven and bake until puff pastry is golden-brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
To serve: Sprinkle each tartlet with thyme and serve warm or at room temperature.
To prepare onion filling: Place butter and olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until butter foams. When foaming subsides, add onions and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper, stirring well to combine. Cook, stirring often, until onions release their liquid and begin to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Sprinkle sugar over onions and stir well to coat. Tuck thyme sprigs into onions and stir. Reduce heat to medium and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits, until onions are golden-brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. If onions or browned bits in the pan begin to darken too quickly, add up to ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring well. Remove onions from heat, discard thyme sprigs, and transfer onions to a large mixing bowl.
Allow onions to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. When the mixture is warm, add the brie and thoroughly combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To prepare puff pastry: Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the upper and lower thirds.
Remove one thawed puff pastry sheet from the package and unfold onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 10 by 15-inch rectangle. Using a sharp chef’s knife or pastry cutter, cut the puff pastry into 24 (2-½ inch) squares. Press the pastry squares into 24 (1-¾inch) mini muffin-pan cups.
Fill each puff pastry cup with about 1 tablespoon onion and brie filling. Transfer filled pastry cups to the preheated oven and bake until puff pastry is golden-brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
To serve: Sprinkle each tartlet with thyme and serve warm or at room temperature.