Savory Puff Pastry Christmas Tree
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 roughly 10 x 10-inch sheet thawed vegan puff pastry dough; homemade or commercial (Pepperidge Farm puffy pastry contain no animal products)
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese or Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (plain, whipped, garlic & herb, or herbs & chive)
1 clove garlic, minced, if using Tofutti ricotta or Tofutti cream cheese
Optional: 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
2 tablespoons thick chutney, pesto, savory jam, etc.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small cup or bowl, whisk together olive oil and 1 large clove garlic, minced; set aside. If using Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese or Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, mix together with 1 large clove minced garlic in a small cup or bowl. If using a flavored Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, mix into whichever you choose omitting the garlic.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Lay puff pastry sheet on another very lightly floured piece of parchment for easy transfer to baking sheet. Pepperidge Farm puffy pastry comes folded in thirds, so with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll gently across the sheet to flatten and seal seams. To form the tree use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut a simple triangular Christmas tree shape out of the sheet of pastry with the tip at the center top, the bottom points on the sides about an inch from the bottom of the sheet, and the square tree trunk about an inch-wide and tall at the center bottom. You will have two rectangular horizontal scraps on either side of the trunk below the bottom branches. From one of them, cut a piece the same size as your trunk, wet the trunk with your finger, and press this piece on top. (Discard the other pieces or bake for nibbling.)
Make the tree front with the two right angle triangles that remain on the right and left sides after cutting out the tree shape. Wet the vertical seam with your finger and mash together very well with fingers to create a shape that matches the bottom. Spread Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese or Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese mixture evenly over bottom sheet of pastry to within 1/4-inch of edges. Spread evenly with chutney, pesto, or savory jam.
Top with remaining seamed triangle of pastry, folding under as necessary to match the bottom. Using the sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut 1-inch wide horizontal tree branches, bottom to top, leaving a 1-inch wide vertical trunk up the middle. Twist each branch one, two, or three times, depending on the length of the branches.
Gently slide the parchment paper with your tree onto the lined baking sheet and place in preheated oven. Brush surface lightly with garlic olive oil. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until golden brown and puffed all over, including the trunk; check after 20 minutes.
In the unlikely event that any tips are browning too quickly, cover with foil. Cool slightly, transfer to serving platter, and serve right away.
*Created exclusively for Tofutti Brands, Inc. by Betsy DiJulio of The Blooming Platter.
