Elegant Caramelized Onion and Cranberry Puff Pastry Bites

Savor the rich flavors of these exquisite puff pastry bites, where sweet caramelized onions and tart cranberries come together on a flaky pastry base. Seasoned with aromatic thyme and a touch of sour cream, these bites are a delightful addition to any gathering or as an elegant appetizer for a special occasion.

Ingredients

1 ½	pounds sweet yellow onions, very thinly sliced
2	tablespoons sweet butter
1	tablespoon olive oil
5	sprigs fresh thyme (lemon thyme is especially good)
1	tablespoon sour cream or crème fraîche
1	sheet puff pastry, defrosted but still cold
24	fresh, whole cranberries
	sea salt
	freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• For preparing the puff pastry bites

  1. In a large skillet, heat the onions, butter, and olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes until the onions begin to shrink down a bit.
  2. Lower the heat to medium-low. Stirring every few minutes, caramelize the onions for 30 minutes. Add in the sprigs of thyme and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, still stirring regularly and lowering the heat as necessary, until the onions reach a uniform toasty brown color. Cooking them slowly over a low heat will help make the onions sweet and evenly browned, so take your time.
  3. Remove the onions from the heat. Carefully remove the thyme stems. Stir in the sour cream or crème fraîche.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Directly on a Silpat or on parchment paper, roll out the pastry sheet to about 12 inches by 8 inches. Score the sheet into 2-inch by 2-inch squares. Place the Silpat or parchment on a baking sheet.
  5. Top each square with a heaping tablespoon of the caramelized onions. Place a whole cranberry atop each mound of onions.
  6. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper very lightly over the squares. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through cooking. The bites are done when the edges of the puff pastry have browned and the cranberries have shrunken.
  7. Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Aug 12, 2024