Savory, Sweet, and Pure Halloween Magic
Fifty cloves of garlic sounds like a dare. In practice, slow-roasted into a sweet, jammy confit, it is one of the most luxurious things you can put on food — and paired with molten brie inside golden, pumpkin-shaped puff pastry, it becomes the appetizer people talk about for weeks. These little bites look like tiny pumpkins, taste like the best parts of fall, and vanish from the plate in minutes. I made a double batch for a Halloween gathering last year and had to physically guard the last three for myself.
The construction is pure fun. Rounds of puff pastry get a spoonful of pumpkin jam and a cube of brie, get pinched into pumpkin shapes with a little kitchen twine, and bake up golden and puffed. The roasted garlic confit goes on top like edible jewels — sweet, soft, caramelised cloves that melt on the tongue. A sage leaf pressed into each one before baking reads as the pumpkin stem and crisps up beautifully. They are adorable, they are delicious, and they are far easier than they look.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Adorable and delicious. The pumpkin shape is not just cute — it is genuinely the perfect two-bite format.
- Roasted garlic confit. Fifty cloves sounds like a lot until you taste what slow roasting does to garlic.
- Molten brie centres. The cheese pull on these is unreal.
- Halloween-perfect. Savoury, seasonal, and on-theme without being gimmicky.
- Make-ahead friendly. Assemble ahead, bake fresh — ideal for parties.
Ingredients
Makes 12 bites
For the garlic confit:
- 50 garlic cloves, peeled (about 4 to 5 heads)
- 120ml olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Flaky sea salt
For the bites:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed but cold
- 150g brie, cut into 12 cubes (rind on is fine)
- 4 tablespoons pumpkin jam or pumpkin butter
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 12 small fresh sage leaves
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
- Kitchen twine, cut into 12 lengths (about 30cm each)
Instructions
- Step 1 — Make the garlic confit. Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan). Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small oven-safe dish, cover with the olive oil, add the thyme and a pinch of salt. Cover with foil and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cloves are golden, soft and completely mellow.
- Step 2 — Heat the oven for baking. Increase the heat to 200C (180C fan) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Step 3 — Cut the pastry. On a lightly floured surface, cut 24 rounds from the puff pastry, about 8cm across.
- Step 4 — Fill. Place a small spoonful of pumpkin jam and a cube of brie in the centre of 12 rounds. Brush the edges with beaten egg.
- Step 5 — Seal and shape. Top with the remaining rounds and press the edges firmly to seal. Lay 3 to 4 pieces of twine in a star pattern, place a bite in the centre, and tie the twine loosely up and over to create pumpkin segments. Do not tie tightly — the pastry needs room to puff.
- Step 6 — Finish. Brush each pumpkin with egg wash, press a sage leaf on top as the stem, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Step 7 — Bake. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until deeply golden and puffed.
- Step 8 — Top and serve. Snip and remove the twine, top each bite with a few cloves of the garlic confit, and serve warm.
Tips for Success
- Tie the twine loosely. Tight twine cuts into the puffing pastry and ruins the shape; loose twine just guides it.
- Keep the pastry cold while you work. Warm puff pastry is sticky and will not puff properly.
- The garlic confit can be made days ahead — it keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks and the oil is liquid gold for cooking.
- Seal the edges well. Escaping brie is delicious but messy; a firm press (or a fork crimp) keeps it inside.
- Serve them warm for the full molten-centre experience.
Serving Ideas
- On a Halloween appetizer board next to the brie skeleton charcuterie.
- With a glass of dry white wine or hard cider.
- As a starter for a fall dinner party — three per person is perfect.
- Alongside a simple arugula salad to cut the richness.
FAQs
Do I really need 50 cloves of garlic?
It sounds like a lot, but roasting transforms garlic — it becomes sweet, mild and spreadable. You will use maybe half on the bites and wonder what to do with the rest (answer: everything).
Can I skip the twine shaping?
Yes — they will still be delicious as simple round bites. The twine is purely for the pumpkin look.
Can I make these ahead?
Assemble the pumpkins (without egg wash) and refrigerate for up to a day, then egg-wash and bake fresh. The confit keeps for 2 weeks.
What is pumpkin jam?
A sweet-spiced preserve made from pumpkin — sold as pumpkin butter in many stores. In a pinch, apricot jam with a pinch of cinnamon works.
Can I use a different cheese?
Camembert is the natural swap. A good aged cheddar works too, though you lose the molten-ooze factor that makes brie so perfect here.
