Description
This Vegan Christmas Wreath is a festive and flavorful savory pastry perfect for holiday celebrations. Filled with a creamy mixture of silken tofu, spinach, pine nuts, fresh herbs, and dried fruits, it’s wrapped in a golden, flaky vegan shortcrust pastry. The wreath is beautifully decorated with dill fronds and dried cranberries, making it both a delicious and eye-catching centerpiece for your vegan holiday feast.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 250g spinach
- 250g silken tofu
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- 50g pine nuts, toasted
- Generous grating of nutmeg
- 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1 small pack dill, ¾ leaves chopped, ¼ fronds reserved for decorating
- 1 tbsp sour cherries
- ½ tbsp dried cranberries, plus a few extra for decorating
Pastry & Finishing
- Flour, for rolling
- 500g block shortcrust pastry (vegan, e.g., Jus-Rol)
- Almond milk, for brushing
Instructions
- Prepare the spinach: Place the spinach in a colander and pour over boiling water. Leave it to wilt, then allow it to cool. Once cooled, use a clean tea towel to wring out the excess moisture from the spinach. Chop the spinach finely and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Make the filling: To the bowl with chopped spinach, stir in the silken tofu, extra virgin olive oil, toasted pine nuts, freshly grated nutmeg, crushed garlic cloves, lemon zest, and chopped dill leaves. Add the sour cherries and dried cranberries as well. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly. Set aside.
- Prepare and shape the pastry: On a well-floured surface, roll out the vegan shortcrust pastry into a rectangle approximately 60cm by 20cm. Leave a 1cm border around the edges. Spoon the prepared spinach mixture along the length of the pastry, leaving about a 2cm gap at each short end. Fold the two short ends inwards to prevent the filling from escaping, then carefully roll the pastry away from you to form a long sausage shape with the filling enclosed.
- Create the wreath shape: Bring the two ends of the rolled pastry together to form a circular wreath. Seal the edges by pinching them together and secure with a little almond milk to help it stick. Transfer the wreath onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Chill the shaped wreath in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up the pastry. This step can be done up to a day in advance; keep the wreath covered in the fridge.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) or gas mark 6. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut slashes across the top of the wreath to allow steam to escape during baking. Mix some almond milk with a small amount of olive oil and brush this mixture all over the surface of the wreath to promote a golden, glossy finish.
- Bake the wreath: Place the wreath in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pastry is beautifully golden brown and cooked through. Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool on the baking tray for about 5 minutes.
- Decorate and serve: Transfer the wreath to a serving board and decorate it with the reserved dill fronds and a few dried cranberries arranged on top. Serve warm or at room temperature as a festive centerpiece dish.
Notes
- The tofu used is silken tofu to provide a creamy texture; regular tofu is not recommended for this recipe.
- Toasting the pine nuts enhances their flavor; be careful not to burn them.
- This wreath can be assembled a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator to save time on the day of serving.
- If vegan shortcrust pastry is not available, ensure any pastry used is dairy-free to keep the recipe vegan.
- Brushing the pastry with a mixture of almond milk and olive oil helps achieve a golden brown and shiny crust.
- This recipe is suitable for a vegan and vegetarian diet and can be adjusted for gluten sensitivity by using a gluten-free pastry alternative.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
Keywords: vegan Christmas wreath, vegan holiday appetizer, spinach tofu pastry, festive vegan pastry, vegan savory wreath
