Smoked Salmon Puff Pastry Cups with mascarpone & fresh dill are a breeze to make, and a tasty, elegant appetizer for any gathering.
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Why You Will Love this Recipe
These smoked salmon appetizer bites are so tasty, and they are deceptively easy to make, too!
Puff pastry cups are one of our favorite party tricks. Pretty and versatile, they can be made ahead of time and filled at the last minute - perfect for a party or holiday gathering!
Pastry cups can be filled with any number of sweet or savory fillings. For this easy salmon appetizer recipe, we are showcasing a creamy smoked salmon filling, made with mascarpone and seasoned with fresh dill.
What Goes into this Recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
★ Smoked salmon: We recommend using hot-smoked salmon when making this recipe. We also make this with leftover grilled salmon, which a a good substitute for smoked salmon in this particular recipe.
Do not use cold-smoked or brine-cured salmon (i.e., lox or gravlax). Cold smoked salmon is much like lox, with a silky, buttery texture and a concentrated briny, salty flavor. Lox are delicious but don't work well in recipes like this one, where you want a more meaty, flaky salmon texture.
★ Mascarpone: Neufchatel and regular cream cheese are both acceptable substitutes for mascarpone in this recipe.
★ Whipping cream: Use full-fat whipping cream for this recipe. Regular whipping cream or half-and-half plus melted butter (50/50) are also decent substitutes.
★ Fresh dill: If you don't have fresh dill, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried dill.
★ Puff pastry: Frozen puff pastry is one of the few premade ingredients we regularly purchase and use. It is such a time-saver!
You can definitely make this recipe with homemade puff pastry if you want to.
How to Make Smoked Salmon Puff Pastry Appetizers
Salmon Filling
In a medium bowl, whip together mascarpone, whipping cream, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce until smooth and light.
Fold in chopped salmon, dill, and lemon zest.
Put filling into a pastry bag and set aside. (A Ziploc bag will work too.)
Pastry Cups
Preheat oven to 400°F | 205°C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together one beaten egg plus one tablespoon of cold water. Set prepared egg-wash aside.
Lay puff pastry out on a floured surface and flatten a bit with your hands. Do not use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry sheet.
Cut one puff pastry sheet into small circles, about 1½ - 2 inches across. Put these "whole circles" on the prepared baking sheet.
Cut the second puff pastry sheet into small circles of the same size. Cut another, smaller circle out of the middle of each one of these circles, donut-style. (Save the small circles!)
Brush each of the whole circles on the baking sheet with egg wash.
Place a donut circle on top of each of the egg-washed whole circles.
Brush the top of the donut circles with egg-wash.
Cut small decorative shapes from remaining puff pastry, to be used as garnish.
We use every bit of puff pastry dough we can. You can use the extra dough to create lovely little garnishes and accents!
Bake prepared pastry cups and pastry garnishes separately; in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Assemble & Serve
Pipe each prepared pastry cup full of filling. Garnish with fresh dill and small pastry shapes.
Chill until ready to serve.
FAQs & Expert Tips
It's very easy to make these little salmon and pastry apps ahead of time.
The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, and the pastry cups can be made early the day of and filled right before serving.
Quick & Easy Garnishes
Many years ago, I purchased a set of small leaf cutters. At the time, I had no idea how handy they would become. I've used them countless times now - for everything from shaped vegetable chips to pastry embellishment - and they are well worth the small investment. If you do a lot of baking, I encourage you to check them out!
Benefits of (Wild Caught) Salmon
Salmon is sustainable, delicious, and perfect for any occasion - from an elegant wedding reception to late night pajama party. Besides being a delicious and environmentally conscious choice, few foods contribute so much to your health as (wild caught) Pacific salmon.
Salmon has a long list of proven health benefits:
- Provides a good source of vitamins, proteins, and minerals
- Helps maintain insulin levels in the body
- Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease
- Improves memory and efficacy of brain functions
- Helps prevent macular degeneration
- Reduces risk of colon, prostate and kidney cancers
- Aids in maintaining healthy skin and hair
Salmon can even help you sleep!
More Salmon Recipes
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Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups
Equipment
- 1 small biscuit cutter
- 1 small circle cutter (or the "wrong" end of a large piping tip)
- 1 Spatula
- 1 leaf cutter set optional
Ingredients
Salmon Filling
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese; room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1 dash hot pepper sauce or Sriracha
- 5 - 6 ounces smoked salmon chopped or shredded
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Pastry Cups
- 2 sheets puff pastry barely thawed
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
Salmon Filling
- In a medium bowl, whip together mascarpone, whipping cream, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce until smooth and light.
- Fold in chopped salmon, dill, and lemon zest.
- Put filling into a pastry bag and set aside. (A Ziploc bag will work too.)
Pastry Cups
- Preheat oven to 400°F | 205°C.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together one beaten egg plus one tablespoon of cold water. Set prepared egg-wash aside.
- Lay puff pastry out on a floured surface and flatten a bit with your hands. Do not use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry sheet.Cut one puff pastry sheet into small circles, about 1½ - 2 inches across. Put these "whole circles" on the prepared baking sheet.Cut the second puff pastry sheet into small circles of the same size. Cut another, smaller circle out of the middle of each one of these circles, donut-style. (Save the small circles!)
- Brush each of the whole circles on the baking sheet with egg wash.Place a donut circle on top of each of the egg-washed whole circles.Brush the top of the donut circles with egg-wash.
- Cut small decorative shapes from remaining puff pastry, to be used as garnish.
- Bake prepared pastry cups and pastry garnishes separately; in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Assemble & Serve
- Pipe each prepared pastry cup full of filling. Garnish with fresh dill and small pastry shapes.Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- Make the filling up to 2 days ahead of time
- Make the pastry cups up to 12 hours head of time.
- Fill and garnish right before serving.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Debbie @ Cooks with Cocktails says
These appetizers are so elegant looking. I can't wait to try them at my next get together we are all bring appies and I am going to bring these puppies.
Ruth says
Wow! So fancy. : )
Catherine says
These look so pretty and fancy. I love the tiny garnishes, too! We used to use the leftover scraps of dough to make pretty designs for our pies, but I never thought to do it like this!
Marlynn [UrbanBlissLife] says
Renée, I LOVE this dish! It is so beautiful and sounds like something I would not be able to stop eating. What a great dish to make when having friends over! Sharing this one for sure. Thanks!
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
These look so, so good Renée! I love the addition of marscarpone cheese, and the puff pastries are the perfect vessel!