Mini Beef Tourtières (Printable)

Flaky cream cheese pastry encasing savory spiced beef filling. A delightful Canadian-inspired appetizer.

# Components:

→ Cream Cheese Pastry

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 8 oz unsalted butter, cold and diced
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Beef Filling

05 - 1 lb ground beef
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/4 cup beef broth
15 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

→ Assembly

17 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, blend softened cream cheese and cold diced butter until smooth. Add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon. Stir in allspice, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in beef broth and simmer until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in fresh parsley, and allow to cool completely.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
04 - Roll out chilled pastry dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 2 3/4 inch rounds using a pastry cutter. Place half of the rounds on prepared baking sheets.
05 - Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of cooled beef filling onto each pastry round on the baking sheets. Brush edges lightly with water. Top each with a remaining pastry round and seal edges firmly using a fork.
06 - Brush tops of pastries with beaten egg. Cut a small slit in the center of each pastry to allow steam to escape during baking.
07 - Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until pastries are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese pastry is buttery and forgiving, almost impossible to mess up, which means you'll actually want to make these again.
  • That warm spice blend tastes like comfort and sophistication at the same time, familiar yet memorable.
  • They look like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly, you won't believe how quick they come together.
02 -
  • If your filling is warm when you try to seal the pastries, it'll make the dough soft and difficult to work with, so genuinely wait until it cools completely.
  • That little steam vent is non-negotiable because without it your pastries will puff up and sometimes burst in the oven, leaving you with a mess.
03 -
  • Keep everything cold until you're ready to bake; cold dough stays flaky, warm dough gets tough and greasy.
  • A bench scraper is your friend when rolling pastry because it helps you flip and rotate the dough without tearing it or using too much flour.
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