Mushroom Puff Pastry

Ingredients

• 45 gdried sweetened cranberries
• 57 g, dividedsalted butter
• 227 gcrimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 mediumyellow onions, sliced
• 2 medium clovesgarlic, diced
• ¾ teaspoonfresh thyme leaves
• 15 leavessage, sliced
• ¼ teaspoonfine sea salt
• to tastepepper
• 90 gshredded Manchego or Gruyère
• 454 g (1 pound)puff pastry, thawed
• 1egg, beaten

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak cranberries

   Pour boiling water over the cranberries in a heat-safe bowl. Leave them to soak for 15 minutes, then drain.

2. 2

   Cook mushrooms

   Heat a large cast-iron or stainless-steel frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to coat the pan, then sauté the mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until cooked. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

3. 3

   Caramelise onions

   Return the pan to the hob and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and swirl it around as it melts. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Sauté for about 25 minutes, checking every 5 minutes and lowering the heat if the onions begin to cook too quickly.

4. 4

   Cool the filling

   Turn off the heat and stir the drained cranberries and cooked mushrooms into the onion mixture. Leave the mixture to cool to room temperature before preparing the pastry.

5. 5

   Stir in cheese

   Once the mushroom mixture has reached room temperature, mix in the shredded cheese.

6. 6

   Prepare the oven

   Position one oven rack in the upper third and the other in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 204°C (400°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

7. 7

   Fill pastry squares

   Cut the thawed but still cold puff pastry into 5 cm (2-inch) squares. Arrange them on the baking sheets and brush the pastry with the beaten egg. Put roughly 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each square.

8. 8

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 20–22 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 10 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

9. 9

   Cool and serve

   Leave the pastries to cool for a few minutes, then serve warm.

What are mushroom puff pastries?

These are small savoury appetisers made by topping squares of puff pastry with a mushroom, onion and cheese filling. Puff pastry bites are a familiar American party-food format, while the filling brings together earthy mushrooms, herbs and sweet-tart cranberries.

The method works by cooking the mushrooms and onions separately, then combining them once the onions have caramelised. Cooling the filling before adding the cheese and assembling the bites helps keep the pastry cold and easy to handle.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 124 calories, 3g protein, 9g carbs, 9g fat.

The pastry and butter provide most of the carbohydrates and fat, while the mushrooms and cheese contribute some protein; the cranberries also add carbohydrates. For a more balanced plate, serve a few pastries with a generous portion of salad or fresh vegetables.

Build flavour in the filling

Mushrooms: sauté them first until cooked, then take them out of the pan. This keeps them from crowding the onions as they soften.

Onions: give them about 25 minutes over medium-low heat, checking regularly. The slow cooking develops a sweet, mellow base without rushing them.

Herbs and fruit: thyme and sage give the filling a savoury, aromatic note, while the soaked cranberries add a little sweetness and tang.

Keep the pastry cold

Cold, thawed pastry is easier to cut and is less likely to become sticky while you assemble the bites. If it starts to soften, return it to the fridge briefly before continuing.

Wait for the filling to reach room temperature before stirring in the cheese and spooning it onto the pastry. A hot filling can soften the pastry before it goes into the oven.

Watch the onion texture

The onions should become soft and caramelised over the stated 25 minutes, rather than browning quickly at the edges. Check them about every 5 minutes and turn down the heat if they are cooking too fast.

The filling should be combined and cool before assembly, but the pastry should remain cold. Keeping those two textures in balance helps the squares hold their shape as you work.

Bake for colour

The pastries bake at 204°C for 20–22 minutes on two oven racks. Rotating the trays after 10 minutes helps them brown more evenly.

Use the recipe's visual cue: the pastry should be golden brown when done. Leave the bites to cool for a few minutes before serving them warm.

Plan the serving

These are designed as small appetisers, with 30 pastries from the stated quantities. Serve them warm on a sharing platter, either on their own or alongside a fresh green salad.

For a larger spread, pair them with other simple nibbles rather than adding more filling to each square; the recipe relies on small portions for the pastry and filling to bake together.

Recipe notes & tips

• Soak the cranberries for the full 15 minutes, then drain them before adding them to the filling.
• Check the onions every 5 minutes and reduce the heat if they begin to cook too quickly.
• Let the filling cool to room temperature before adding the cheese.
• Keep the thawed pastry cold while cutting and filling the squares.
• Rotate the baking sheets after 10 minutes for more even browning.
• Line both baking sheets before you begin assembling the pastries.

Variations

• Choose the cheese: use either Manchego or Gruyère as listed for a slightly different savoury note.
• Adjust the herbs: use the listed thyme and sage together for an aromatic filling.
• Make the bites smaller: cut smaller pastry squares and use a proportionate amount of filling in each.
• Serve as a sharing platter: arrange the warm pastries alongside fresh salad or other appetisers.
• Prepare ahead: cook and cool the filling in advance, then assemble and bake when ready to serve.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cooking onions too quickly: reduce the heat if they start to brown before becoming soft and caramelised.
• Adding hot filling: cool the mushroom mixture to room temperature before mixing in the cheese.
• Using soft pastry: keep the thawed pastry cold while cutting and filling it.
• Skipping the tray rotation: turn the baking sheets after 10 minutes to help the pastries brown evenly.
• Overfilling the squares: use roughly 1 tablespoon of filling in the centre of each one.
• Serving straight from the oven: let the pastries cool for a few minutes before serving.

How to store

Store cooled pastries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven until warmed through and crisp; the recipe does not specify a reheating temperature or time.

Frequently asked questions