Cheesy Christmas Tree Recipes

CHEESY CHRISTMAS TREE PULL APART BREAD

Steps:

• To make the dough, whisk together the water, yeast and sugar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt and mix.
• Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add the egg and butter then knead for 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl while kneading.
• If the dough is too sticky, add 2-3 tablespoons flour, one tbsp at a time and allow to knead until the dough is smooth.
• Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has risen, break golf-ball sized pieces off and flatten in the palm of your hand. Add a cube of cheese then bring all the edges up, pinching them together then roll into balls.
• Place the dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or large sheet pan in the shape of a Christmas tree. Allow a little space in between the dough balls.
• Cover the Christmas tree bread loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise while the oven heats up.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Brush the risen bread with beaten egg and sprinkle with dried herbs and salt.
• Place in the oven and allow to bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and cooked through.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes then decorate with pomegranate rubies and rosemary (optional) before serving.

CHEESY GARLIC PULL-APART CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 18x14-inch cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.
• Cut each cheese stick into 4 pieces to make 64 pieces. Separate each can of dough into 8 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 layers for a total of 32 biscuit rounds. Flatten each biscuit round into 4-inch circle.
• Place 2 pieces of the same type of cheese on center of each round. Fold edges up and over cheese; pinch firmly to seal. Using photo as a guide, place biscuits randomly by assorted cheeses, seam sides down and next to each other in a tree-shaped pattern on cookie sheet, starting with trunk and working up to the top.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds or until melted. Stir in garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Brush mixture on tops of biscuits. Bake 29 to 33 minutes or until golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy in center.
• Top with chives. In small microwavable bowl, microwave pizza sauce covered on High 60 to 90 seconds, stirring halfway through, until warmed through. Serve cheese-stuffed biscuits with pizza sauce.

CHRISTMAS TREE CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• Add the cream cheese, Cheddar, cayenne, Worcestershire, scallions, lemon juice and some salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is almost smooth; you still want a few bits of cheese in there. Remove with a rubber spatula to a piece of plastic wrap and wrap up the cheese mixture. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Shape the cheese mixture with your hands into a Christmas tree/cone using the plastic wrap to keep it together. Mix the chopped parsley and dill together on a plate or work surface. Coat the shaped cheese in the chopped herbs.
• Transfer the cheese tree to the center of a platter. Decorate with the pomegranate seeds as ornaments. Serve with buttery crackers.

CHEESE TWIST CHRISTMAS TREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone liner (such as Silpat®).
• Roll pastry into a 14-inch square, sprinkling with flour if necessary.
• Cut from the bottom corners up to the center top to make a triangle. Place the triangle on a prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator.
• Overlap the long edges of the 2 remaining pieces of pastry by about ½ inch to form a second triangle. Roll to flatten slightly. Place on the second prepared baking sheet and chill until needed.
• Remove the first triangle from the refrigerator. Lift the silicone liner and pastry off the pan and onto the counter. Trim about 1 ½ inches off the bottom of the triangle and cut a 2-inch piece from that strip. Tuck that piece under the triangle to make a trunk.
• Spread all but 1 to 2 tablespoons pesto sauce over the entire triangle, leaving ¼ inch exposed at the edges. Grate most of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the pesto. Place the second pastry triangle over top; stretch and pull it to fit, and trim off any extra dough as needed. Lightly press the edges together to seal and pat over the whole surface of the dough.
• Use a pizza wheel to cut ¾-inch horizontal strips on one side of the tree going from the outside edge in to about ¼ to ½ inch from the center; leave the center part connected to form the trunk. As you move up the tree, it may be easier to place the pizza wheel at the trunk and cut out to the edge. Repeat on the other side, lining up the cuts with the first side.
• Lift up each strip and twist 3 to 4 times. As you get up to the shorter pieces near the top, twist as many times as you can, but don't worry if you can't twist the strips at the very top.
• Brush remaining pesto over the center of the tree and any other spots you feel need it. Transfer the silicone liner back onto a baking sheet. Grate remaining cheese over top.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until pastry is fully cooked and well browned, 30 to 35 minutes; do not undercook.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes before serving.