What appetizer do you have for Christmas? I absolutely had to try these cute little Christmas trees, they’ve been floating around on Instagram since last year, clamoring for my attention like so many wonderful delicacies. Now I’ve tried them and have to introduce them to you because they more than passed the taste test! A dream of many different textures and flavors, the culinary professional from “The Taste” would say: creamy, crunchy, salty with a slight acidity, oh it has everything in it. I like them a lot and as a nutritionist I know that they are a better pre-meal snack than chips or bread. The only point of criticism is the pretzel stick, ok actually the healthy starter could be even greener, but parsley, pomegranate seeds, pistachios and cheese is a delicious combination for the taste buds and the first three ingredients in particular score points with their healthy aspects. They are also perfect for giving gifts with a glass of sparkling wine or champagne! Try it, they are quick to make and taste delicious, let’s see if you can confirm that!
Looking for more ideas for delicious appetizers for Christmas?
What ingredients do you need for this Christmas appetizer?
- Cheese – preferably a mild, creamy brie and it should be round so that the shape of the Christmas tree is easy and you can cut triangles out of it.
- Pretzel sticks – for the tree stem, they give the whole thing a crunchy kick, delicious!
- Pomegranate seeds – they are the balls on the tree, so to speak, and add a bit of acidity to the snack
- Parsley – it dresses the small Christmas tree. Parsley is so valuable that we should actually include it in our diet much more often.
- Pistachios – other nuts also work here. Pistachios have gained a lot of glamor this year and I find them very suitable here, whether pure, roasted or salted.
- Honey – so that the parsley, pomegranate seeds and pistachios stay well, the cheese is dipped in liquid honey. A bit of sweetness rounds out the combination in terms of taste.
Christmas appetizer recipe – cheese snack in a Christmas tree look
Ingredients
1 Camembert/Brie
Pretzel sticks
2-3 stalks of fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pomegranate
Approx. 50 g pistachios (natural, roasted or salted as desired)
2 tbsp liquid honey
Preparation
- Cut the cheese into small triangles and halve them horizontally. Halve or third the pretzel sticks and poke them into the wide side of the triangle like a stick.
- Chop the parsley and deseed the pomegranate. Chop pistachios.
- Place the honey on a flat plate and mix the parsley, pistachios and pomegranate seeds on a second plate.
- Dip the soft side of the cheese triangles in honey and then into the herb and nut mixture and serve nicely.
Bon appetite!
Tips for Christmas starters
- Instead of pistachios you can also use walnuts or pecans or roasted pine nuts etc
- The pretzel sticks could get soggy if you prepare it too long in advance, so prick them shortly beforehand. Fresh is generally best, it’s really quick if you’ve already chopped the parsley and nuts and have the pomegranate seeds ready.
- As an alternative to the pomegranate seeds, you can also use chopped dried cranberries, which are not quite as nice and lack the acidic tang. Chopped dried apricots also work well.
Cheese Christmas tree / Christmas starter
Which Christmas appetizer is quick and healthy? The cheese fir trees provide aroma and crunch – the ideal snack before the feast! ⭐
- 1 Piece Brie / Camembert (round)
- 1 P Pretzel sticks
- 2-3 Stems Parsley smooth fresh
- 1 Piece pomegranate
- 50 G Pistachios
- 2 EL Honey, liquid
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Cut the cheese into small triangles and halve them horizontally.
-
Halve or third the pretzel sticks and pierce them into the wide side of the triangle like a stalk.
-
Chop parsley and seed the pomegranate. Chop pistachios.
-
Place the honey on a flat plate and mix the parsley, pistachios and pomegranate seeds on a second plate.
-
Dip the soft side of the cheese triangles in honey and then into the herb and nut mixture and serve nicely.
And if you want a slightly healthier snack, take a look at ELBGESUND, how about roasted edamame, for example?
