This Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil – known as a “Sun Tart”, in English – is a gorgeous tear-and-share French appetizer. It features two layers of buttery puff pastry with a filling of cream cheese and smoked salmon, cut and twisted into tearable strands. This is a very simple recipe for a really impressive appetizer for the Holiday season!
What is a Tarte Soleil?
A Tarte Soleil, which literally translates to “Sun Tart” in English, is a savory puff pastry appetizer that is typically made in the shape of a sun. It’s often served as a decorative and delicious centerpiece at parties, gatherings, or special occasions like Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The basic structure of a Tarte Soleil involves a sheet of puff pastry, covered with a filling and then roofed with a second sheet of puff pastry. Then comes the fun part… The filling can vary and be customized to you liking! It often includes ingredients like cheese, herbs, spices, sometimes the addition of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto – or smoked salmon!
The two layers of pastry are then cut into a sun-like shape with radiating rays, which are twisted to create the appearance of a sun. I know this may sound a bit complex to do, but I assure you it is not! The pastry is then baked until golden brown.
Tarte Soleil is a always an impressive appetizer or snack to bring to the table. I love how it’s visually striking and always a conversation starter. Guests get to tear off each piece (the sun rays) which makes it interactive and fun.
This is one of my favorite recipes to make especially over the Holidays when hosting people. I am really excited to share this recipe with you today!
Ingredients you’ll need for this Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil
A Tarte Soleil is a versatile dish, including any filling of your liking – but this smoked salmon and cream cheese version has to be one of my favorites. The combination of the buttery, flaky pastry with the creamy savory filling and the rich flavor of smoked salmon is heavenly. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to create this show-stopper at home.
- Puff pastry. You need two 12-inch (30cm) circles of puff pastry. Homemade or store-bought work well here. In France, puff pastry sheets usually come already round – which truly makes this recipe a breeze to create at home. In the US and Canada, in my experience, puff pastry sheets usually come rectangular or square. So you’ll need to roll out the sheets to 12×12-inch squares and cut them into circles of 12-inch diameters. Read the FAQs below for more tips on store-bought puff pastry.
- Cream cheese. Opt for a plain, full-fat cream cheese such as Philadelphia Original. And if you’re wondering if we have Philadelphia in France – yes, we do! With the rise of American baked goods in France (ie. cheesecake), cream cheese is becoming easier and easier to find these past few years.
- Shallot. One shallot, finely diced, adds a nice bite to the cream cheese filling.
- Chive. Because cream cheese and chive simply go hand in hand.
- Black pepper. I like to add a crack of pepper to the cream-cheese filling. However, no added salt is needed, as smoked salmon is typically salty enough.
- Smoked salmon. About 6 thin slices of smoked salmon are enough to cover the entirety of a pastry sheet. Note that you can use smoked trout too, which is often more affordable.
- An egg yolk and one tablespoon of milk. Whisked together with a fork for brushing the puff pastry top.
- Poppy seeds. Although optional, the tart is finished with a sprinkle of poppy seeds, a taste which marries well with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning would work great too here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a store-bought puff pastry crust?
Yes, absolutely. For convenience and to save time, I honestly often rely on store-bought puff pastry.
When shopping, my best advice is to seek out an all-butter puff pastry. You can do so by simply looking at the ingredient list on the pastry package. Puff pastries made with oil and/or shortening (partially or fully) will almost always taste inferior than all-butter. The best all-butter frozen puff pastry brand I recommend is Dufour.
Pre-made store-bought puff pastry almost always comes frozen. I recommend you take it out of your freezer the day prior to baking, and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. A slow overnight thawing will prevent cracks in the sheet when you unroll it.
Once you are ready to make the Tarte Soleil, take the puff pastry sheets out of the fridge and act fast when rolling out the sheets and forming the twists. Puff pastry warms up quickly and can get sticky.
Can I prepare the Tarte Soleil ahead?
Yes, you can prepare this tart ahead, up to the point when it goes in the oven to bake. Once the tart is assembled and formed, you can transfer it to the fridge for up to 6 hours.
This is a great recipe to make ahead if you’re having guests over! You can prepare the tart, store it in the fridge, and simply pop it in the oven when your guests arrive. You will then serve a freshly baked, crisp tart while not spending much time in the kitchen.
How to store this Tarte Soleil ?
Like most puff pastry baked goods, the Tarte Soleil is best enjoyed right when it comes out of the oven. Puff pastry loses its crispness after a few short hours. However, if you have any leftovers, you can still store it in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
- In the refrigerator: store the (cooled) tart in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. I don’t recommend re-heating it in the microwave, which can make the pastry soft. Instead, reheat in the oven for about 5-10 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until crisp.
- In the freezer: store the (cooled) tart in a freezer-friendly airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge before heating them through in the oven.
Audrey’s tips:
- Ideally, defrost your store-bought frozen puff pastry overnight in the fridge. This slow thawing process prevents the dough from cracking.
- Puff pastry warms up quickly and can get sticky, so keep each sheet rolled in the fridge up until you need it. Act fast when rolling it out, cutting it round and transferring it into the fridge. Once filled, likewise, act fast when cutting out the “sun rays” and twisting them. If you feel the dough is getting too sticky to work with, simply pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up again.
- Make sure you use a very sharp knife or pizza cutter to form the sun rays.
I hope you’ll love this Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment.
More French appetizer recipes:
- Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)
- French-style Deviled Eggs (Oeufs Mimosa)
- Classic French Salmon Rillettes
- French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
- Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade)
- Ham, Cheese and Olive Bread
- Sardines and Cream Cheese Rillettes
- Eggplant Caviar Dip
35 comments
I was SO happy when cream cheese arrived in France — I could finally make real cheesecake! However, our local LeClerc no longer carries it, grrrrr. Now I’ve discovered a pretty close knock-off at Lidl. How about where you live?
Hello, Liz. You’re right, my local LeClerc also doesn’t carry it, but I can find it at another store, Geant Casino. Thankfully it’s just as close! What else have you used as an alternative, and how close was it to the original?
What I found at Lidl is called Goldessa, same type of barquette and the taste is very close. There’s even a cheesecake recipe on the package, although I haven’t tried it yet for that.
Great to know, I appreciate you filling me in. Luckily, for now, we have access to Philly. But always important to have an alternative on hand.
This looks fabulous, although I’m thinking many people at the gathering I am going to would not like the smoked salmon. Been thinking about trying it with Jambon ham instead. Have you tried it? Thoughts?
Hello, Deb. If you really know your crowd, then you could definitely look for an alternative like slices of jambon and cheese. I haevn’t used them for this exact recipe, but have no doubt it would work. That being said, I am always surprised at how popular smoked salmon is during a gathering. It usually gets eaten all up despite me having the same thoughts, that it may not be for everyone.
Audrey, I went with your suggestion and made the tart with smoked salmon. It was gorgeous, delicious and a complete hit. Guess I didn’t know my crowd as well as I thought.
Deb, it happens… We sometimes “underestimate” our crowd, or “underestimate” a dish. I doubt things too sometimes, but remind myself that it’s nearly impossible to please everyone, so just put out a dish you know tastes good! It usually works out.
So glad you ALL enjoyed it! 🙂
Looks great
Thanks, Teresa!
Hi Audrey I found your website by chance, WOW what a treasure I’ve uncovered. Just having a quick scan I’m already salavating to get stuck into your fabulous recepies!
Welcome to the blog, Grant! So glad you stumbled upon it. Out of curiousity, how did you make your way here? I’m always curious as to how people find their way here, even after all these years.
Feel free to comment, review or ask questions and I’ll do my best to get back asap. Enjoy your exploration… There’s always new recipes popping up! 🙂
Whaaaaaaaat??!! Absolutely!!!!
Would love to hear back if you give it a go!
I made this for Thanksgiving as an appetizer and it was gone in 10 minutes. It was one of the best things I have ever eaten. I plan to make it again for Christmas.
That is some amazing praise, Monica… Thank you so very much! It’s an honor to have one of my recipes make it onto your holiday tables, and be so well enjoyed. If it was popular once for you, it’ll definitely be popular twice! 🙂
Our Christmas Eve get together has found the best munchie to pair up with tinned scallops from Spain. I’ll certainly let you know how this turns out. the only question that I have is, how difficult is it to successfully twist the individual sections? I make ‘snail style danishes, and the butter and cinnamon/sugar always seeps out when twisting the individual strip. Perhaps the salmon holds the cream chees intact, no? Anyway. I’ll let you know how this delectable looking piece turns out.
Hello and thanks for the question! To date, after multiple attempts at the dish, I can honestly say I haven’t had much trouble at all twisting these. The cream cheese is somewhat firm and “sticky” and the salmon is wonderfully pliable. Very little, if any, seeps out. Good luck and please let me know how it went!
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I made it and it was delicious although next time I would not use the Everything Bagel seasoning as we thought the garlic overpowered the dish. I was confused about whether to leave on the paper and put on a baking sheet which worked fine but next time I would leave it on the paper and put that on the baking sheet.
Hello, Sheryl! Thanks for the comment and glad you enjoyed the Tarte. I apologize if the instructions weren’t clear enough, but yes, you definitely leave the tarte on the parchment and then put the tarte (with the parchment) on a baking sheet.
Any way to put this together ahead of time?
Hello there, Steve. So, yes and no. What I mean by that is, yes you can assemble the tarte a few hours ahead of time and leave covered in the fridge until you need to bake it. I do not suggest baking it ahead of time. Puff pastry really doesn’t taste the same reheated (it’s not bad, but fresh is much better). Hope this helps!
Excellent — you interpreted my question perfectly – thanks!
You’re very welcome. Good luck!
I made this with the puff pastry recommended and it was wonderful. My only comment is that the everything bagel mix that is sold by Trader Joe’s was a bit too strong with the garlic. I intend to make for a pot luck later this month and will use a mix of poppy and sesame seeds and I know everyone will love it! Thanks for the recipe, Audrey💕
Thanks so much, Sheryl! Poppy and sesame would make a wonderful mix, I’m sure it’ll be a hit for your pot luck.
Hello – do you think you could make this and freeze? (i.e. instead of making ahead and putting in the fridge, could you freeze it?)
I have some salmon I want to use for Christmas but will be out of date!
Hello, Katie. I have never made and frozen this before, but I can tell you cream cheese once thawed, becomes a bit grainy… But the taste remains the same.
It could work, as all the items in the tarte should freeze decently well. But I can’t tell you I’ve done it, unfortunately.
I made it for a Christmas family gathering and it went down a treat.
Love to hear it, David! This one was very popular for me as well this Christmas. Just simple and delicious… And of course, a touch unique!
I’ve been cooking all my life, have traveled to Paris (mostly for work) at least two dozen times, entertain frequently have subscriptions to numerous food magazines and frequently share recipes in my blog, but this is my first exposure to the concept of the Tarte Soleil. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! We love smoked salmon and this is an awesome new way to delight guests with it.
You’re so very welcome, Kim! The joys of the internet allow us to share some of the discoveries we’ve found along the way. It seems almost daily, whether at a market, or walking by a bakery or restaurant, that I see a food item or idea I’ve never seen before. It’s so inspiring and I love to share that with others.
So glad you enjoyed this tarte as much as we do 🙂
Hello, this is a wonderful recipe. I was wondering if I could use Bousin instead of cream cheese. thanks
Hello, Liana! Thanks for the kind words and the question.. So I can tell you that I have not personally used boursin for this recipe, but I do know and have used it in other recipes and it does typically work well! I think it should work with little problem. My only worry would be the boursin is too creamy and may “melt” a bit, but it should be ok!