Christmas Tree Party Nibbles

Fun to make and far too easy to eat. If the tree part is too much faff, you could just twist the strips like a cheese straw.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• 2 rashers bacon, finely chopped
• ½ an onion, finely chopped
• 125g or ½ a block cream cheese, at room temperature
• 50g grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 4 sheets puff pastry, defrosted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 20 small cocktail party size skewers

Method

Place oil, bacon and onion in a small pan and cook gently until onion is soft and bacon is beginning to colour. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl beat the cream cheese till soft then mix in the parmesan, cooled bacon mixture and the chives.

Place one sheet of pastry on the bench and spread with ½ the mixture all the way to the edges.

Cover with another sheet of pastry, press gently then brush lightly with beaten egg the slice into around 10 strips.

Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a baking tray or cookie sheet.

Fold each strip into a Christmas tree shape starting at the base and narrowing towards the top and feed onto a skewer. Place on a greased baking tray. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Place on the prepared tray and bake for around 20 minutes until brown and crispy. Serve warm or cold.

Tip

Use this technique with other flavours and fillings such as Nutella or Christmas fruit mince, Pesto or whatever takes your fancy.

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