Mince and cheese puff pastry stars
Festive fun with a cheesy twist
Serves
25
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Stars, cheese, and a bit of Christmas magic? Don’t mind if we do. These cheeky little mince and cheese puff pastry stars are everything we love about a classic Kiwi pie just shrunk down, fancied up, and turned into a showstopping Christmas tree.
Golden, flaky, cheesy, and full of savoury goodness, they’re the perfect bite for your festive platter, office do, or whānau gathering. Best of all, they’re dead easy to make, and even easier to scoff by the handful. So grab some pastry, whip up a quick mince mix, and get cutting because nothing says “Kiwi Christmas” quite like a tree made entirely of mince and cheese stars. Santa will definitely want seconds.
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ShareIngredients
400g New Zealand beef mince
1 onion
finely chopped1 garlic clove
crushed1 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp beef stock powder
pepper
to taste1 tsp cornflour
mixed with 2 tsp water1 cup grated tasty cheddar cheese
3 puff pastry sheets
thawed1 egg
beaten
fresh rosemary sprigs
cherry tomatoes
sesame seeds
Method
Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened.
Add the mince and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
Stir in the tomato paste and beef stock. Season with a little pepper.
Simmer for 5 - 6 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the cornflour slurry to thicken the mixture slightly.
Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then stir through the grated cheese.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many stars as you can from the pastry sheets.
Place half the stars on the trays. Spoon a small amount of the mince and cheese mixture into the centre of each one.
Top with another pastry star and gently press the edges to seal. Use a fork for crimping if desired.
Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on if using.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden, puffed, and crisp.
Once the stars are slightly cooled, arrange them into a tree shape on a serving board — starting with one star at the top and increasing each row down to make a tree.
Use rosemary sprigs to tuck in between the stars as festive greenery and cherry tomatoes as baubles.
Serve warm with a small bowl of tomato chutney or sauce as the “tree trunk.”
Festive Tips:
- Make the mince filling the day before to save time
- If you want a shortcut, use leftover savoury mince
- No star cutter? Triangles or rounds still work, it’ll still taste like Christmas
- Let your wee ones help with cutting and assembling, it’s a great family activity
