Serves 20
25 min
Cheesy Papillons
Recipe GLPR1857f1bfa33bcd
Golden, flaky pastry butterflies topped with melted Gruyère cheese and a whisper of spiced Espelette pepper. These elegant cheese crisps are perfect as an appetizer or snack, ready in just 25 minutes. Each delicate papillon showcases the nutty richness of aged Gruyère with a subtle heat from the French chili seasoning.
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Ingredients
2 puff pastry sheets (17 ounces total)
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
1/4 teaspoon piment d'Espelette
Coarse sea salt to taste
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy removal.
Lay the first puff pastry sheet on a clean, lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle half of the grated Gruyère cheese evenly across the entire surface.
Fold the pastry sheet in half lengthwise, then unfold it gently. This creates a visual guide. Fold both long sides inward to meet at the center fold line, creating a rectangle with four layers.
Fold the pastry in half along the center line where the two sides meet. You now have a long, narrow rectangle. Cut this crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips to form the papillon shapes.
Repeat steps 2 through 4 with the second puff pastry sheet and the remaining Gruyère cheese.
Gently twist each pastry strip at the center to form a butterfly shape. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt and piment d'Espelette over each papillon.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastries are golden brown and the cheese is melted and slightly caramelized at the edges.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool briefly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
