A holiday appetizer that’s as impressive as it is simple to make: apple butter and melted brie tart. The apple butter is spiced with cinnamon and has a subtle sweetness. It’s spooned over puff pastry and then topped with slices of brie, crisp apples, and fresh thyme. The tart gets baked until golden, topped with bacon, and finished with a drizzle of honey.
Last year, this pear & prosciutto ricotta tart was my favorite holiday appetizer. I’ve been thinking of what new version I could create this year, and I think I landed on the perfect combination with this apple butter and melted brie variation.
It’s sweet, savory, and extremely satisfying…a definite way to start the meal on a very delicious note.
apple butter and melted brie tart – the details
The star of this tart is the apple butter. While store-bought apple butter will work perfectly well, I suggest trying to make your own at least once. It’s a labor of love, but the process is fairly simple, and the end result is an apple butter that tastes extremely fresh and has that special homemade quality.
You can find my homemade apple butter recipe here.
I’ve made it extra delicious by adding apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon. It takes about two and a half hours start to finish, with the majority of time being hands-off cooking and cooling.
Once you’ve decided on store-bought or homemade apple butter, the rest of this tart is a no-brainer.
You’ll unfold the puff pastry onto a sheet pan and layer everything on – first the apple butter, then slices of rich & creamy brie cheese, followed by crisp apple slices, and fresh thyme leaves.
The pastry bakes beautifully (golden with crisp edges) while the brie melts into the apple butter and the fresh apples become tender. Out of the oven, you’ll sprinkle crumbled bacon and drizzle honey over top – a sweet and savory finish.
PrintApple Butter and Melted Brie Tart
a sweet and savory puff pastry tart with cinnamon apple butter, melted brie cheese, slices of apple, crispy bacon, and fresh thyme
servings: 8-12
Ingredients
- ½ lb bacon
- 1 (14 oz) sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 cup apple butter (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ lb wedge of brie, halved crosswise + sliced ¼”
- 2 small apples, cored + thinly sliced
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 egg, beaten with a splash of water
- honey, to drizzle
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Lay the bacon on one of the sheet pans in an even layer. Unfold the puff pastry onto the other sheet pan. Use a rolling pin to stretch the dough out a bit, rolling until even. Use a fork to dock the entire surface of the dough.
- Spread the apple butter evenly onto the dough, leaving a 1” border. Arrange the brie and apples over the apple butter. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over top.
- Fold the edges of dough over the apples and pinch the corners together. Brush the egg wash onto the border of the dough.
- Place both the bacon and the tart into the oven. Roast the bacon for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp. Bake the tart for about 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes and then roughly chop.
- Once out of the oven, let the tart sit for a few minutes to cool. Transfer it to a cutting board. Cut into 12 squares. Serve immediately with the bacon, a drizzle of honey, and a pinch of flaky sea salt over top.
The instructions never mention when to add the sugar
The sugar is for the apple butter recipe.
Thanks for the recipe! Do you cook the bacon prior to topping or does it go on raw?
great flavors, love brie and wonderful with apples and puff pastry, thank you