Description
Festive holiday spirits come alive in this Christmas Bruschetta Wreath with Smoked Salmon, blending seasonal elegance with gourmet flavors. Rich cream cheese, delicate salmon, and crisp crostini create a merry appetizer that sparks celebration and delights guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 French baguette, sliced into 12-inch rounds
- 6 ounces (170 grams) smoked salmon slices, cut into smaller pieces
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) burrata cheese, torn into pieces
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) ricotta cheese
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) grape or heirloom tomatoes, halved
- 68 fresh basil leaves
Drizzles and Spreads:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fig jam
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and place baguette slices on a baking tray, delicately brushing each piece with a light olive oil coating.
- Crisp the bread in the oven for 8-10 minutes until achieving a golden, crunchy texture.
- Prepare toppings by gently halving cherry tomatoes and carefully breaking fresh mozzarella and goat cheese into delicate bite-sized fragments.
- Slice the smoked salmon into elegant, thin strips that will gracefully complement the bread.
- Create a circular wreath design on a festive serving platter by strategically positioning the toasted baguette slices.
- Artfully distribute the torn cheese pieces throughout the wreath’s center and along the bread’s perimeter.
- Intersperse halved tomatoes and fresh basil leaves among the bread and cheese, creating visual depth and color contrast.
- Weave the salmon strips between baguette slices, ensuring a balanced and attractive presentation.
- Enhance the flavor profile by drizzling honey and fig jam across the entire appetizer, adding a subtle sweet complexity.
- Present the Christmas bruschetta wreath immediately to capture its optimal temperature and visual appeal.
Notes
- Ensure bread slices are evenly toasted for maximum crunchiness and avoid burning by watching closely during the 8-10 minute baking time.
- Opt for high-quality smoked salmon to elevate the flavor profile and create a more luxurious holiday appetizer experience.
- Experiment with different soft cheeses like burrata or goat cheese for varied textures and taste complexity.
- Create a gluten-free version by using gluten-free baguette or replacing bread with cucumber rounds for a lighter alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 20mg