Imagine biting into a perfectly golden, flaky pastry shell filled with rich, deeply caramelized onions, savory mushrooms, and melted Gruyere cheese that stretches with every bite. These elegant tartlets are not just a recipe; they're a culinary experience that transforms simple ingredients into a gourmet masterpiece that will impress your guests and elevate any gathering from ordinary to extraordinary.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Cuisine: French
Serves: 12 tartlets
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and remove puff pastry from refrigerator to soften slightly.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they become deeply golden and caramelized, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms to the caramelized onions, increasing heat to medium. Sauté until mushrooms release their moisture and become golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Season the onion-mushroom mixture with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Roll out puff pastry sheet and cut into 12 equal squares using a sharp knife or pastry cutter.
- Press each pastry square into a greased muffin tin, gently forming tartlet shells.
- Distribute the caramelized onion and mushroom mixture evenly among the pastry shells.
- Sprinkle shredded Gruyere cheese generously over each tartlet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and cheese is melted and slightly bubbling.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing tartlets from muffin tin.
- Serve warm as an appetizer or light lunch, garnished with fresh thyme if desired.
Tips
- Patience is key when caramelizing onions - use low, slow heat to develop deep, sweet flavor without burning.
- Make sure to drain excess moisture from mushrooms to prevent soggy pastry shells.
- Allow puff pastry to soften slightly before cutting to prevent cracking, but keep it cool enough to maintain its flaky texture.
- Use a non-stick muffin tin or generously grease your tin to ensure easy tartlet removal.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a small sprig of fresh thyme or a dash of fresh cracked black pepper before baking.
- These tartlets are best served immediately while the cheese is still melted and the pastry is crisp, but can be prepared ahead and quickly reheated in the oven.
- For a professional presentation, try using a mix of mushroom varieties like cremini and shiitake for more complex flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 137kcal
Carbohydrates: g
Protein: g
Fat: g
Saturated Fat: g
Cholesterol: mg
