Tomatoes and mozzarella are perhaps the two savory foods that best represent the colors of a candy cane, which is why the caprese combo is commonly used to make festive appetizers around the holidays. This recipe is inspired by the popular candy cane caprese board that graces many a Christmas party snack table during December; this version is even more finger-food-friendly and easier to eat. Candy cane puff pastry cutouts are topped with balsamic glaze, basil, and slices of mozzarella pearls and grape tomatoes, then baked together.
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Caprese Candy Cane Pastries
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 30–40 pastries 1x
Description
Puff pastry candy cane cutouts topped with balsamic, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil make the most fun and festive appetizer that’s almost too cute to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 portion of my rough puff pastry recipe or 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed but chilled
- 1 8-ounce container of mozzarella pearls
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- Balsamic glaze
- ~5 large basil leaves, chopped
- Flaky sea salt
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Roll your puff pastry into a rectangle-ish or oval-ish shape that’s 1/4-inch thick.
- Use a candy-cane-shaped cookie cutter to cut candy canes out of the puff pastry. Take care to only press the cookie cutter down and pull it right up; do not wiggle it around to release the cutout. Doing so can cause the layers of the pastry to stick together and prevent it from rising as high while baking.
- Place all of the cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes. Press any excess dough together into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes before rolling it out again.
- Meanwhile, beat one egg in a small bowl.
- Remove the candy canes from the freezer and transfer 12-15 of them onto another parchment-lined baking sheet (as many as you can fit 1 inch apart from each other). Return the rest to the freezer.
- Brush the tops of each candy cane with a light layer of egg wash.
- Bake the candy canes pastries for 10-12 minutes, but keep an eye on them. They should be puffed up and just turning golden brown on the tops and around the edges (not a deep golden brown yet).
- While baking, slice the mozzarella pearls into thin rounds and set aside.
- Slice the grape tomatoes into thin rounds, and then slice each round in half again. Set aside.
- Slice the basil into thin strips.
- Remove the candy canes from the oven.
- Immediately drizzle a line of balsamic glaze down the center of each candy cane.
- Top with 1-2 slices of basil, placed lengthwise down the middle of the candy cane.
- Alternate placing mozzarella slices and tomato slices on top of the balsamic and basil to make a red and white striped look.
- Repeat with each baked candy cane.
- Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese has just slightly melted.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky salt. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Repeat steps with the remaining pastry dough.
- These are best enjoyed the day they are baked. They can be made a few hours ahead of time, left at room temperature, and then reheated right before serving, or you can serve them at room temperature. To reheat, bake at 350 F for 5 minutes.
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
Bake Notes
- The number of candy canes you’ll get will depend on the size of your cookie cutter. Mine was relatively small, and I ended up with about 32 pastries from one sheet of my homemade rough puff pastry. The number could also vary based on the size of your sheet of puff pastry. You’ll likely have some leftover mozzarella balls and a few tomatoes, so feel free to use the second sheet that most packages of puff pastry come with to make more, but you likely won’t need the entire sheet.
- While the first batch is baking, you can keep the rest of the cutouts in the freezer, but don’t let them freezer completely (no longer than 20 minutes). After that, keep them in the fridge.
- You can use any other variety of small tomatoes as long as they are red.
More Puff Pastry Appetizers
Puff pastry is a perfect base for many snacks and appetizers, both savory and sweet. For another festive winter appetizer, try my apple and butternut squash tarts with bacon and parmesan. Or, go for a goat cheese, apple, shallot, and beet combo.
I highly encourage to to try making your own rough puff pastry! It’s my favorite thing to make because of how fun and rewarding it is. It only takes a few ingredients (butter, flour, water, and salt), and a few steps that are super easy once you understand what you’re doing. Don’t be intimidated! Or do be, but try it anyway.