Asparagus puff pastry bouquets 

Asparagus puff pastry bouquets 

These Asparagus puff pastry bouquets are an easy and elegant appetizer or brunch idea for spring entertaining!  Perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day, or whenever you need a light, airy snack because they come together quickly and effortlessly.

Spring brunch recipes

These asparagus puffed pastry bouquets would pair perfectly with one of our other spring brunch recipes. Serve them with Garden pansy salad, Dandelion salad, Carrot cake cinnamon bunnies, Lavender bee's knees (lavender lemon honey cocktail) or carrot shaped stuffed crescent rolls

What if puff pastry?

Let me introduce you to your new best friend. Puff pastry! Puff pastry is a light and flaky pastry made from a laminated dough, or dough that is made by alternating layers of butter and dough.this versatile baking staple. The only ingredients used to make puff pastry are butter, salt, water, and flour. Keep some in your freezer for easy appetizers when you're entertaining in a pinch.

Ingredients needed for this asparagus puff pastry bouquet:

• Puffed pastry sheets - two sheets cut into 8 squares, or 8 small precut squares
• Small sliced cheese slices of choice - goat cheese, brie, raclette, gruyere
• 1 bunch of asparagus sprigs (12-18 sprigs) ends trimmed short
• 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing
• Edible flowers - read our guide on Where to buy edible flowers
• Kosher salt + pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions needed for this puffed pastry bouquet:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to a large rectangle about double the original size. Square off edges and cut into 8 squares with a pizza cutter.
• Toss asparagus in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

• To make the bouquets, place slice cheese of the square. Follow with 3-4 stalks of asparagus (depending on size)

• Lift two opposite corners of the puff pastry squares and wrap them around the asparagus and press to seal. Brush puff pastry with melted butter. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper if desired.

• Bake until puff pastry is golden and puffed, about 12-15 minutes.
• While warm, carefully place puffed pastry on your serving dish of choice.
• Garnish with "leaves" like herbs like basil, and edible flowers of choice to make a bouquet.
• Serve and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions:

Puff Pastry vs. Phyllo Dough 

It's easy to get puffy pastry confused with it's laminated dough cousin, phyllo. The main difference between the two is phyllo dough contains less water, so it doesn't rise the same as puffed pastry. This is due to the way it's made, rolled thin instead of folded and laminated like puffed pastry. Phyllo dough is very thin, and famously used in baklava. Be careful not to get them confused, as they are often found next to each other in the freezer aisle

Where to Buy Puff Pastry 

Frozen puff pastry sheets come in a long rectangular box in the frozen section of most grocery stores; sheet sizes will vary, so check the dimensions on the box. Puff pastry is often found next to the pie crust and other frozen doughs. You may also be able to find packaged puff pastry cups for savory appetizers and delicate desserts. Keep a package of frozen puff pastry in your freezer at all times for easy last-minute baking. Look for small squares instead of long sheets for less work!

How to serve puffed pastry:

These are best served fresh out of the oven. If you're entertaining, you can assemble your bouquets ahead of time, and pop them in the oven when you're guests arrive so they come out of the oven nice and warm. If needed, you can reheat puffed pastry for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Be sure to remove the edible flowers and leaves before placing in the oven so they don't burn.