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This easy pesto tarte soleil is a beautiful centerpiece that’s surprisingly easy: puff pastry shaped into a sun, filled with green basil pesto, nutty Comté cheese, and a whole round of Brie. Perfect for sharing with friends, pulling apart the golden rays and dipping into the gooey center.
Table of Contents
The term tarte soleil means “sun tart” in French, and that’s exactly what it looks like. Two large rounds of puff pastry sandwich a pesto filling, then it is cut into strips radiating out like sunbeams, each one twisted to reveal the layers. Once baked, you serve it hot and tear off the pastry rays to dip into the melting cheese. It’s as much fun as it is delicious.
This post has a foolproof method, some easy variations, troubleshooting tips, make-ahead advice, and pairing ideas. For more cheesy recipes like this, try my Deep-Fried Brie or Roasted Camembert Loaf.
Why you will love this recipe
- It looks impressive but requires minimal effort.
- Crowd-pleasing flavor combination: fresh basil pesto, nutty Comté, and creamy Brie/Camembert.
- Made with ready-rolled puff pastry, so minimal fuss in the kitchen.
- Adaptable to suit different needs and occasions, swapping cheeses, pesto, and add-ins.
Ingredients
- Puff pastry – Using sheets of pre-rolled puff pastry makes this really easy, but a chilled block you roll yourself also works.
- Fresh pesto – Ideally, use the pots of fresh basil pesto from the chilled section rather than jarred pesto, as I find it tastes so much better here.
- Brie – You need a small round of Brie or Camembert in the center.
Substitutions and variations
Pesto: Try a sun-dried tomato pesto or walnut pesto.
Cheese swaps: Comté can be replaced with Gruyère, mature cheddar, or Parmesan, depending on what you have. You can also omit the Brie center, if you like, and just have the twisted Brie-pesto rays.
Add-ins: Add in ham, caramelized onions, or chopped roasted red peppers between the pesto and the grated comté for a little extra.
Make without the Brie: You can just spread with pesto and grated cheese. Then place a small bowl or glass in the center where the Brie would be to act as a guide. Cut to the edge of the bowl, then twist. Remove the bowl and bake. You will just have a pesto cheese center, rather than melted cheese.
How to make pesto tarte soleil
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
ONE: Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C/180°C fan). Roll out the pastry sheets so they are a little wider on all edges. Then lay a large plate on the pastry and use it as a guide to cut out two large circles of puff pastry. Lay one round on the prepared baking tray.
TWO: Place the Brie or Camembert in the center (still whole, with its rind on). Smooth the pesto evenly over the pastry, around the edge of the brie, then top with the grated Comté.
THREE: Lay the second round of puff pastry over the top. Gently press around the edges of the brie so it molds to its shape, and press the edges of the two sheets of puff pastry together to seal.
FOUR: Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 16-20 strips; these will be the sun rays radiating out from the cheese. So you cut from the edge of the cheese to the outer edge of the pastry.
FIVE: Twist each strip two or three times.
SIX: Brush the pastry with the beaten egg for a glossy finish. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Prevent a soggy base: If your oven doesn’t run very hot, try baking on a pre-heated heavy-based sheet (or better still, a baking stone) so the bottom heats quickly and crisps.
- How to keep the cheese molten longer: If you have to hang fire before serving, turn the oven temperature to 194°F (90°C) and keep warm under foil. Serve the tart immediately from the oven and keep it on a warm board if possible, to maintain some heat.
Frequently asked questions
Tarte soleil means “sun tart” in French, as it looks like a sun. Two large rounds of puff pastry sandwich a flavorful filling, then the top layer is cut into 16-20 strips radiating out like sunbeams, each one twisted to reveal the layers.
Yes, assemble, wrap well, and chill for up to 24 hours; bake from chilled as instructed. To freeze, freeze the assembled tarte on a tray until firm, then remove from the tray, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding around 5 to 8 minutes.
Lift each strip gently and twist from the middle, not the end. If the pastry feels too soft, pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up again.
Gruyère, Emmental, or mature cheddar all work well. For extra stretch, mix mozzarella with Gruyère for a good cheese pull.
Other recipes you might enjoy
If you like this recipe for pesto tarte soleil, you will love my Easy Sausage Rolls recipe or Honey Mustard Chipolatas. For any leftover puff pastry, try my Chicken Pie Plait. For something sweet and festive, my Christmas Pretzel Crack is delicious.
Christmas Recipes
Camembert en Croute (Whole Baked Camembert in Puff Pastry)
Christmas Recipes
Brie Puff Pastry Bites
Lunch Recipes
Courgette Tart
Easy Dinner Recipes
Tomato Puff Pastry Tart
If you tried this Pesto Tarte Soleil or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Pesto Tarte Soleil (Pesto Puff Pastry Sun)
Ingredients
- 2 sheets of puff pastry, or one large block
- 5 oz fresh pesto
- 5.25 oz Comté, grated
- 1 small round of Brie or Camembert
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Flakey salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C/180°C fan) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the pastry sheets so they are a little wider on all edges. Then lay a large plate on the pastry and use it as a guide to cut out two large circles of puff pastry. Lay one round on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the Brie or Camembert in the center (still whole, with its rind on). Smooth the pesto evenly over the pastry, around the edge of the Brie, then top with the grated Comté.
- Lay the second round of puff pastry over the top. Gently press around the edges of the Brie so it molds to its shape, and press the edges of the two sheets of puff pastry together to seal.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 16-20 strips; these will be the sun rays radiating out from the cheese. So you cut from the edge of the cheese to the outer edge of the pastry.
- Twist each strip two or three times to form the ‘rays’ of your tarte soleil.
- Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with salt and some black pepper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and deep golden brown.
- Serve immediately while warm. I like to slice off the pastry from the top of the Brie to reveal the molten center. I tear off the cheesy, pesto-filled twists and dip them straight into melted cheese.
Video
Notes
Make-ahead and storage
To store: Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat: To reheat leftover slices, preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) and bake for 8–10 minutes to re-crisp the pastry. Avoid microwaving, or the pastry will become soggy. To freeze: After assembly (but before baking), freeze the tart on a tray until firm. Then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready, bake from frozen, adding around 5–8 minutes to the baking time. Make ahead: You can assemble the tart up to 24 hours ahead. Cover loosely in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge. Bake from chilled, allowing an extra 2-3 minutes if needed.More quick tips
Cheese swaps: Comté can be replaced with Gruyère, mature cheddar, Parmesan, depending on what you have. You can also skip the Brie center, if you like, and just have the twisted Brie-pesto rays. Make without the Brie: You can just spread with pesto and grated cheese. Then place a small bowl or glass in the center where the Brie would be to act as a guide. Cut to the edge of the bowl, then twist. Remove the bowl and bake. You will just have a pesto cheese center, rather than melted cheese.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Margie,
I’m looking forward to makings this. It looks delicious. Do you have your recipe for the fresh basil pesto? Thx!!
Hi Carolyn, thank you I hope you enjoy it! Yes, if you search ‘basil pesto’ in the search bar of my website, I have a post titled Homemade Basil Pesto with a full recipe. X
This was a hit at a New Year’s party! “Showstopper” it was called 🙂
I used a finely chopped olive tapenade instead of pesto (my husband says I can’t follow a recipe-I can, but I prefer to go on vibes). I used the truffle brie from TJ’s, and man was this a good flavor combo. Will make again and again!
We had this for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. What a beautiful presentation and elegant flavors. We all enjoyed it so much thank you for posting this recipe. We’ll make it again.
Delicious! But my Brie leaked all over the baking tray! Any tips for this not to happen?
Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, glad you liked the recipe! You could try chilling the assembled tarte soleil for 30 minutes to firm up the brie and stop it from melting too fast. Otherwise, just ensure it’s really well encased in all the pastry and twisted together well.