The Perfect Snack
Arguably one of the best side dishes at Korean BBQ is corn cheese. It’s ridiculously simple but hits the spot every time. The sweetness of the corn is the perfect balance to the spicy, savory flavors from the other dishes. I already have a Kimchi Corn Cheese Dip up on my site, but I was thinking of other fun ways I could incorporate it into recipes. Another tried and true ingredient everyone loves is puff pastry. I’ve never seen anyone turn away from it, so I thought it would make for the best vessel for my corn cheese. These Corn Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts are exactly what they seem to be — a dream come true. Flaky, buttery puff pastry tarts filled with a creamy, cheesy corn cheese mixture. These are great to have as an appetizer or even a little mid-day snack to get you through the rest of the day.
Creamed Corn
To make the corn cheese filling, add the cream cheese, mayo, salt, black pepper, and granulated sugar into a bowl. Mix until everything is well combined. Gently fold in the corn and mozzarella. I like to fold the corn in after the cream mixture is combined to prevent the the corn kernels from squishing.
Place the puff pastry sheets onto a cutting board. Follow the seams on each of the pastry sheets and cut 3 strips. Then cut them in half so that you have a total of 12 rectangles (6 rectangles from each sheet). Use a knife to score a ¼ inch border around the edge, making sure to not cut all the way through. Then prick the center of the rectangles with a fork. Fill them with about 2 tablespoons of the corn filling.
Use a pastry brush to coat the edges of the pastries with the egg wash. Sprinkle the sesame seeds around the edges of the pastries. Bake them for 16-18 minutes at 400˚F until golden brown and flaky. Garnish with a sprinkle of chives on top and enjoy!
The Perfect Snack
Let me tell you, corn cheese has never tasted so elevated until I tried these Corn Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts. While the corn cheese is as simple as corn and cheese combined, the subtle touches of the sesame seeds and chives elevate the flavor profile. The sesame seeds add a toasted nutty flavor to the buttery pastry. Then the chives add a savory, garlicky flavor that compliments the sweetness of the corn. When you bite into these tarts, it’s a mixture of crispy pastry and creamy corn filling. They’re unassumingly addictive and are the perfect snack for any time of the day. If you’re a corn cheese fiend, you have to try these out!
Corn Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts
Ingredients
- ½ cup Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup Mayo
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 ¼ cup Frozen Corn (thawed) or Canned Corn (drained_
- 1 cup Grated Mozzarella
- 1 Box (2 sheets) Puff Pastry Sheets Thawed (thawed)
- 1 Egg Wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk)
- 1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
- 2 tbsp Chopped Chives (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the cream cheese, mayo, salt, black pepper, and granulated sugar into a bowl. Mix until everything is well combined. Gently fold in the corn and mozzarella.
- Place the puff pastry sheets onto a cutting board. Follow the seams on each of the pastry sheets and cut 3 strips. Then cut them in half so that you have a total of 12 rectangles (6 rectangles from each sheet).
- Use a knife to score a ¼ inch border around the edge, making sure to not cut all the way through. Then prick the center of the rectangles with a fork. Fill them with about 2 tablespoons of the corn filling.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the edges of the pastries with the egg wash. Sprinkle the sesame seeds around the edges of the pastries. Bake them for 16-18 minutes until golden brown and flaky. Garnish with a sprinkle of chives on top and enjoy!
