fig brie bites with marcona almonds

hi!

i am super pumped about today’s post because it is the first in my thanksgiving series this week!

with the years {dare i say?} largest culinary holiday creeping up on us, i felt it would be super fun to have a little kellys ambitious kitchen thanksgiving celebration all week long!

so, just as any great gathering, let’s start with a crowd-pleasing appetizer!

crowd-pleasing + brie are basically interchangeable, amiright?!

and, let’s be honest with ourselves, fig preserves + marcona almonds are a better couple than brad + angelina!

so.

let’s combine all three, schmear ‘em inside a buttery puff pastry cup + show some party guests you mean business!

the thing i love about these little bites is that they are super simple enough to be able to whip us as a hostess yet also make for an awesome potluck appetizer.

if you’re bringing ‘em TO the party then i would recommend to assemble + freeze, then tote the whole frozen muffin tin right to the party, bake ‘em up + top ‘em with the almonds!

as for in-house, use the same method as above for a make ahead! or, when your first guest gives the obligatory ‘hey, we’re on our way, do you need ice?’ call – just layer up the cups + pop ‘em in the oven!

while, puff pastry can be a bit finicky, it is crazy delicious + totally worth it! so we must live by it’s temperamental rules. here are a few things to keep in mind!

• defrosting in the fridge takes 2 hours. defrosting on the counter top should take only 30 minutes
• no, you cannot defrost it in the microwave or in warm water ..because the internet said so!
• how do you know it’s defrosted? press your finger on the sheet, if it leaves a mark then you’re golden! {PUN! PUN! PUN!}
• do not try to use the puff pastry while it’s frozen! the excess moisture will ruin the pastry process.

now that the ground rules are all laid out, let’s get this thanksgiving feast kicked off!

. . .and don’t forget to tune in tomorrow for the next course – a shredded honeycrisp + brussels sprouts salad with pancetta!

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want to cut a few prep corners? you can purchase puff pastry in already molded cups! simply skip the muffin tin + bake them on a sheet pan!

make a variety tray! use the fig + marcona combo on a handful + get creative with the rest! cranberry preserves sprinkled with sugar in the raw is a festive option, as is slices of granny smith apples with walnuts on top!

just in case you were getting ready to google it: you do not need to remove the rind from the brie! it is totally edible + delish.

brie goes fantastic with a sauvignon blanc, rosé + chardonnay. port also goes great with fig, so your options are plentiful!

check out this recipe from the fridge to the serving platter!

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