Brie in Puff Pastry ‘Tarte Soleil’
, Updated Nov 27, 2025
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This delicious baked brie in puff pastry, a.k.a brie ‘Tarte Soleil’ is big on WOW factor, simple to make and perfect for sharing! Recipe in collaboration with Castello.
Any cheese lovers here? I am raising both arms and waving them in the air like I just don’t care, in case you are wondering. If you are a big cheese fan like myself then you will LOVE today’s recipe! This simple puff pastry tart brings together: creamy brie, puff pastry and sun-dried tomato paste.
In other words it’s high on YUMMY and low on effort, even if it looks pretty fancy. And a fancy appetizer needs an equally lofty name, so how about tarte soleil?
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fancy but easy – it looks impressive, but it’s mostly clever cutting and twisting. If you can use a knife and a glass you can make this.
- Uses store bought puff pastry – no need to make pastry from scratch on a busy holiday week.
- So versatile – swap the sun dried tomato paste for pesto, tapenade or cranberry sauce to suit the season.
- Made for sharing – a true pull apart appetizer where everyone helps themselves to a cheesy pastry “ray”.
- Perfect party centerpiece – ideal for Christmas parties, drinks with friends or as part of an appetizer board.
What is a tarte soleil?
Tarte soleil (literally “sun tart”) is a French style puff pastry tart that is cut into strips and twisted to look like a sunburst. It’s usually filled with something simple like pesto, cheese or tapenade, then baked until the pastry is puffed and golden.
This version turns the classic tarte soleil into the ultimate baked Brie in puff pastry. The Brie sits in the center like a gooey cheese fondue, while the twisted pastry rays around the edge bake into crisp, dip-ready “breadsticks” flavored with sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan.
It feels a bit like a cross between baked Brie, pull apart bread and a fancy party tart – but you still only need a handful of ingredients and some store bought puff pastry to pull it off.
Here’s What You’ll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy baked brie recipe:
- Puff pastry – ready rolled puff pastry sheets keep things quick and easy. Use all butter puff pastry if you can for the best flavor and flake. I used ready-rolled round puff pastry sheets for this recipe, specially created for Tarte Tatin. If you can’t find them, you can use ready rolled puff pastry sheets.
- Brie – a small wheel of Brie that fits comfortably in the middle of your pastry circle. You want it ripe enough to melt nicely, but not so soft it collapses.
- Sun dried tomato paste – brings big savory flavor and a pop of color. You can also use regular sun dried tomato pesto.
- Parmesan – finely grated Parmesan sprinkled over the filling adds extra cheesy, salty goodness.
- Egg wash – a simple beaten egg to brush over the pastry so it bakes up with a deep golden color.
- Seasoning and herbs – salt, pepper and a handful of herbs like thyme or oregano are all you need.
How to make Brie in Puff Pastry Tarte Soleil Step-by-Step
- Preheat the oven and place the shelf in the centre of the oven. Unroll your puff pastry, on the paper it came wrapped in, and use a rolling pin to form a square that’s at least 25cm (10 in). Cut a circle using a large bowl or cake tin as a guide. You will need to do this twice. Keep the puff pastry covered as you work or in the fridge on a hot day.
- Place your brie in the centre of the puff pastry and cover with a small bowl that allows for a small border around the cheese. Spread the filling over the puff pastry in a thin layer, going almost to the edge. Remove the bowl.
- Cover with the second puff pastry sheet, you might want to drape it over a rolling pin to transfer and position it. Gently smooth the pastry over the cheese and then use the bowl to press down around it. Remove the bowl and prick around the brie with a fork.
- Use a knife to score the pastry into eight sections and then cut up to the border. Cut each section into half to create 16 sections. If your pastry gets very soft, transfer onto a tray and pop in the fridge to chill. Twist each section a couple of times in a single direction. For an even fancier tart you could slice the pastry into 32 sections!
- Brush the entire tart with egg wash and then grate a little mature cheddar cheese over it. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and a pinch of coarse salt. Transfer to a heavy baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
- Cool the tart on the baking tray for around 10 minutes before serving. Transfer to a serving platter and use a small knife to remove the puff pastry lid over the cheese. Tear off the ‘rays’ and get dipping!
Recipe Variations
- Herb and garlic – brush the pastry rays with garlic butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs before baking.Make ahead and storage
- Pesto tarte soleil – swap the sun dried tomato paste for green or red pesto and skip the extra Parmesan if your pesto is already cheesy.
- Cranberry Brie sun – perfect for Christmas. Use cranberry sauce instead of tomato paste and scatter some chopped walnuts or pecans over the filling.
- Caramelized onion – add a layer of caramelized onions under the Brie for a sweet savory twist.
Storing and Reheating
- Make ahead – Assemble right up to the chilling stage, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours before baking. Add egg wash just before it goes in the oven.
- Leftovers – This pull-apart appetizer is best served hot and fresh, but leftovers can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheating – reheat in the oven or air fryer until warmed through and the pastry is crisp again. The cheese will not be quite as molten as the first time, but it will still taste great. Avoid the microwave as it can make the pastry soggy.
- Freezing – the baked tart is best enjoyed fresh rather than frozen.
Tips for success
- Work with chilled pastry – if the pastry becomes too soft while you’re shaping the sun, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes. Cold pastry puffs better.
- Use a sharp knife – to cut neat strips that twist without tearing.
- Don’t overfill – a thin layer of sun dried tomato paste goes a long way. Too much and it will leak out as it bakes.
- Chill before baking – a quick chill in the fridge helps the pastry hold its shape and keeps the butter from melting too fast.
- Serve hot – this is at its best when the Brie is melted and gooey. Have your guests ready before you bring it out.
Yes. Camembert works in exactly the same way as Brie in this recipe. Choose a small wheel that fits in the center of your pastry circle and adjust the baking time slightly if it is very small or very large.
You can absolutely use homemade puff pastry if you like, but good quality ready rolled puff pastry gives excellent results and saves a lot of time. Just make sure it is fully thawed if frozen.
No – leave the rind on the Brie as it helps the cheese hold its shape when it melts and you can scoop it up with the pastry. If you really dislike the rind, you can trim the top before covering it with pastry.
Keep the filling layer fairly thin, chill the assembled tart before baking and bake on a preheated baking sheet if your oven runs cool. Serving it soon after baking also helps keep the pastry crisp. Don’t cover the tart while it is still hot – the steam will soften the pastry.
Yes. You can use a smaller wheel of Brie and cut fewer rays for a mini tarte soleil, or make individual “suns” using smaller circles of pastry. Keep an eye on the baking time as smaller tarts will cook faster.
HAVE YOU MADE MY BAKED BRIE IN PUFF PASTRY? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
Baked brie in puff pastry Tarte Soleil
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 packs ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1 wheel brie cheese
- 8 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste (, or pesto)
- 1 cup (100g) cheddar cheese , grated
- 1 large egg , lightly beaten
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- pinch sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f (180°C) and place the shelf in the centre of the oven.
- Unroll your puff pastry, on the paper if came wrapped in, and use a rolling pin to form a square that’s at least 25cm (10 in).2 packs ready-rolled puff pastry
- Cut a circle using a large bowl or cake tin as a guide. You will need to do this twice, keep the puff pastry covered as you work.
- Place your brie in the centre of the puff pastry and cover with a small bowl that allows for a small border around the cheese.1 wheel brie cheese
- Spread the filling over the puff pastry in a thin layer, going almost to the edge. Remove the bowl.8 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste, 1 cup (100g) cheddar cheese
- Cover with the second puff pastry sheet, you might want to drape it over a rolling pin to transfer and position it.
- Gently smooth the pastry over the cheese and then use the bowl to press down around it. Remove the bowl and prick around the brie with a fork.
- Use a knife to score the pastry into eight sections and then cut up to the border. Cut each section into half to create 16 sections. If your pastry gets very soft, transfer onto a tray and pop in the fridge to chill.
- Twist each section a couple of times in a single direction. Brush the entire tart with egg wash and then grate a little mature cheddar cheese over it. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and a little coarse salt.1 large egg, ½ tsp dried thyme , pinch sea salt flakes
- Transfer to a heavy baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
- Cool the tart on the baking tray for around 10 minutes before serving.
- Transfer to a serving platter and use a small knife to remove the puff pastry lid over the cheese. Tear off the ‘rays’ and get dipping!
Notes
- You can use any of the following as your savoury fillings: pesto, olive tapenade, sun-dried tomato paste or pesto, onion jam, cream cheese – basically anything that can be easily spread over the puff pastry in a thin layer.
- Replace the filling with cranberry conserve for a Christmassy version of this recipe!
- If you are making this recipe on a hot day you might need to chill the tart after slicing the pastry so that it is firm enough to twist.
- You can use camembert instead of brie.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
It was wonderful