Recipe: Pear and Brie Puffs

Today is my 31st birthday!  As part of the celebrating, I wanted to share a yummy appetizer recipe.  I made these for birthdaysnacks and karaoke fun times with friends on Saturday night.  They are delicious warm or room temperature or straight out of the fridge.

Pear and Brie Puffs.

Ingredients.

If you don't have two mini-muffin pans, you can make these in two batches.

Sliced up puff pastry.

Puff pastry pressed into mini-muffin pans.

Caramelized onions!

Caramelized onion and pear mixture.

Filling the puff pastry cups.

Cooling.

Serves: 16 (3 each)

Ingredients:

• 2 pears, diced
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 1 box frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
• 8-ounces brie
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions:

1. Caramelize the onions: melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until deeply browned, 30 - 40 minutes.  Stir often to prevent burning. 
2. While onions are caramelizing, prepare the puff pastry cups. 
3. Preheat oven to 400º F.  
4. Coat two mini-muffin pans with nonstick spray.
5. Unfold a puff pastry sheet and cut into 24 even pieces.  Stretch each piece out a bit and press into the mini-muffin pan to form a cup.  Make sure that the bottom and sides are covered.
6. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry. 
7. Mix together the caramelized onions and diced pear in a medium bowl.  
8. Spoon the mixture into the puff pastry cups.  
9. Top each cup with a small slice of brie.   Make sure the cheese does not hang over the sides of the puff pastry. 
10. Cook in the 400º F oven for 15 minutes or until puff pastry begins to brown. 
11. Remove pans from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove the cups to cooling racks until ready to plate.  

Notes:
We have made this on puff pastry triangles but I find the cups are easier to make and eat.

These are also good with bleu cheese.