Welcome Springtime with my simple Asparagus and Brie Tart recipe!
This dish celebrates the season’s bounty by combining fresh asparagus and creamy brie on a golden puff pastry base. Ideal for brunch gatherings (Mother’s Day is around the corner) or any special occasion, its savoury flavours and light, satisfying texture will delight your guests. Made with seasonal ingredients, this tart is sure to become a go-to favourite.
Asparagus Cooking Tip!
To ensure your asparagus is cooked to perfection, trim the ends and peel if desired before baking.
Looking for more ways to use up your asparagus?
– Carolyn
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- ½ of a 1-pound (450 g) box of puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the fridge
- Approx. 4½ oz (130 g) wheel of firm brie
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and peeled if desired, washed and dried well
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil for brushing
- 2-3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (I like a mix of black and white)
- Flaked sea salt
For the Glaze:
- 2 tbsp fig jam
- 2-3 tbsp boiling water
- Pinch of cayenne
Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Lay a piece of parchment (the size of your cookie sheet) on your work surface. Have a cookie sheet handy. It is preferable to use a rimless cookie sheet or the back side of a cookie sheet with a rim.
Step 2
When the oven is preheated, remove the puff pastry from the fridge and unroll it onto the parchment.
- Using a paring knife (and a ruler if desired), score (without cutting all the way through) a 1-inch border, making a frame in the pastry.
- Using a fork, poke holes in the centre of the frame (not on the frame). This action with allow the frame to puff up like a crust and the interior to remain mostly flat.
- Transfer the parchment paper with the prepared pastry to the cookie sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
Step 3
When the pastry is cool, cut the brie in ¼ -inch flat strips and arrange them on the pastry (not the frame); you may not need all the brie.
- Leave about ¼ inch between strips.
Step 4
Lay the asparagus over the brie, alternating the asparagus so that each side has tips and ends.
Step 5
Brush the frame with oil and sprinkle the sesame seeds as you brush the frame.
- Brush the asparagus with oil and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
Step 6
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden and the brie is bubbling.
Step 7
In the meantime, place the fig jam into a small bowl, pour the boiling water over it and mix until the jam is melted and you have a drizzle-able consistency.
- Adjust with more jam if it is too watery or more water if it is not drizzle-able. Mix in the cayenne.
Step 8
When the tart comes out of the oven, brush and drizzle it with the fig jam mixture.
- You may need to drizzle it over the crust because you don’t want to brush away the seeds; be gentle.
- Cut into 4 or 6 pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.
🧑🍳PRO-TIP:
Try to find all-butter puff pastry that comes in rolled sheets as opposed to a block of puff pastry. I use the all-butter PC brand, it comes with two individually wrapped (½-pound/225 gram rolled sheets). For this tart, you will only need 1 sleeve or ½ of the box, one of the sheets.
