Caramelized onion & bacon puff pastry squares
The fact that we’re almost halfway through November is a little crazy, don’t you think? I swear that I just savored my last peach of summer mere weeks ago. But now that we’ve officially made the transition from summer to fall, it’s time to embrace the season. Now it’s time to invite your friends over, to enjoy gatherings with family, and to fill your kitchen with the coziest of appetizers, dishes, and desserts.
Speaking of appetizers, these little puff pastry squares are simply incredible! Caramelized onion and bacon work perfectly together to produce sweet overtones with a lovely bursts of char. Coming alongside, some tangy goat cheese and equally tangy mustard brings a pleasant contrast to the combination of flavors. I used Maille’s honey mustard specifically, because it’s not only totally delicious but also expands the sweet and tangy dynamic to which these treats are devoted. Thin slices of d’anjou pear finish the flavor profile in style—a delicious fall fruit for some delicious fall fare.
Divide all these ingredients evenly between a few puff pastry squares, and you’ll have a simple, impressive, and addictive appetizer on your hands. So bake some of these off for the holidays and treat your friends and family!
Thank you to Maille for sponsoring this post. All words are my own
Caramelized onion, bacon, & goat cheese puff pastry squares
Yields 9 squares
1 Puff pastry sheet, thawed
3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
1 ½ tbs unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced ¼’’-⅛’’ thick
1 Jar Mallie Honey mustard
crumbled goat cheese
½ small d’anjou pear, thinly sliced *optional
kosher salt, as needed
1 egg + 2 tsp water, whisked (egg wash)
Begin by caramelizing the onions. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed sauté pan, or in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt, and stir to coat onions with butter. Spread the onions out in an even layer, and reduce heat to medium low.
Cook the onions for about 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If spots on the bottom of the pan begin to burn a bit, simply splash with a little water or chicken stock to add a little moisture.
Once the onions take on a lovely caramel color and jammy texture, remove from heat and transfer to another bowl to cool.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Unfold the pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper and cut into 9, 3x3’’ squares. Next, use the tip of a sharp knife to lightly score a ½’’ edge inside each square, essentially tracing out a smaller square. This will create a pocket for all that yummy filling. Transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet.
Place 3/4 tsp of Maille’s honey mustard in the center of each inner square. I used a pastry brush to smooth it out, but the back of a spoon works too! Place 1 slightly heaped tablespoon of caramelized onions in each “inner” square. You may need to flatten the onions slightly, just make sure to keep the filling inside the scored lines.
Divide the chopped bacon evenly between each square, and if using a pear place slice right on top, then sprinkle with a bit of goat cheese. Use a clean pastry brush to brush the edge of each square with egg wash. Place in the oven and cook for about 16 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Enjoy warm!