Easy Smoked Salmon Tart
This easy Smoked Salmon Tart will add a touch of sophistication to your lunch, brunch, or any celebration! A light and flaky puff pastry crust gets layered with a lemon caper cream cheese and buttery smoked salmon for a simple yet elegant tart that's perfect for special occasions and is ready in 30 minutes!
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 328kcal
Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed but still cold
- 4 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons capers drained and rinsed
- 5 oz smoked salmon or lox
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Roll out the puff pastry so that it's roughly 15 inches long and 10 inches wide (it doesn't have to be exact), then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Lightly dampen the edges with water, then fold them over about 1 inch to form an outer crust.
- Use a very sharp paring knife to trim off just the outer edge of the pastry, being careful to remove as little dough as possible. this will help the crust puff up evenly.
- Use a fork to prick the inside of the dough all over, then bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- While the pastry bakes, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, scallions, parsley and capers in a medium bowl.
- Once the pastry shell has cooled completely, spread the cream cheese mixture all over the center. Top the cream cheese mixture with large pieces of smoked salmon, then sprinkle with more scallions. Cut into wedges, then serve.
Notes
- Keep the puff pastry cold. It consists of layers of dough separated by butter. The butter should be intact when baking so it turns into steam, creating pockets of air and causing the layers to puff up and create crisp flakes.
- Handle the puff pastry dough with care. Flour the surface so it does not stick when you roll and make sure to not overwork it.
- Taste the cream cheese mixture before spreading it on the pastry. Adjust the amounts of scallions, capers, lemon, parsley, salt, and pepper according to your preferences.
- Prickling the puff pastry dough will allow steam to escape, preventing it from puffing too much and creating an excessively airy or unstable structure. This will result in a crisp and golden finish.
- Make sure the puff pastry tart shell is cooled completely before spreading the cream cheese mixture on top so it doesn't melt.
- Distribute the salmon evenly on top of the cream cheese mixture to ensure each slice gets the same amount.
Nutrition
Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg