Name: Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Squares
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 box frozen puff pastry (2 puff pastry sheets (approximately 9 x 12 inches each)); 1 egg; 1 Tablespoon water; 15 ounces jellied cranberry sauce; 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar; 2 cups whipped cream (homemade or store bought); 1/2 cup caramel sauce ( use my recipe or store bought)

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This puff pastry dessert recipe is part of a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart. All opinions are 100% mine.

The holiday season is a time of reflection for me, but it’s also a time to look forward and plan for the new year. I’ve set a couple of goals for myself for 2014.

Goal #1…
Despite a recent fall off of the healthy eating wagon, I intend to continue my quest to be fit in my fifties. Even if I don’t lose all of the weight, I’m making baby steps to better health.

Goal #2…
Imagine if you and I and everyone we know made just one small, smart decision to better the Earth every day. Nothing major…just little things like taking shorter showers, picking up trash from the side of a street, or recycling cartons and cans instead of throwing them into the garbage with the rest of the waste that will sit in landfills for eternity.

On their own, those little tasks may not seem like much, but when they’re performed by millions of people every day, they can have a huge impact on our health, and the health of our planet.

This holiday season, and straight into the new year, I challenge you to join me in making a difference. Let’s become Carton Smart. Let’s go out of our way to use products that are better for the environment, and/or healthier for our bodies! The challenge is on Twitter, too. Tweet @CartonSmart and share ways to make a positive difference, using the hashtag #CartonSmart when you Tweet, so that others can share your great ideas, too!

In my efforts to be conscious about the packaging that I buy my products in, I was happy to learn about Pacific Foods. Their products come in Tetra Pak containers, made from 70% paper that’s made from selectively harvested trees. What the heck does that mean?

Sweet and simple…it’s better for the environment! The packaging is green-worthy for sure, but even better is that the products take up 1/3 less space in my pantry than similar products from other manufacturers do. There are LOADS of products available, but here are the ones that I had the opportunity to sample.

Extra love for the fact that the products are organic and delicious!

The jellied cranberry sauce is in the cranberry caramel puff pastry dessert. Scroll down for the recipe!

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Granted, this is only an 8 ounce box, but a typical metal can of stock is 15 ounces and the metal isn’t environmentally friendly. These cartons are recyclable, resulting in 60% less landfill space being used. Even the boxed stocks that I’ve purchased in the past are three times the size of this easy to use carton. Have I mentioned that I live in an apartment, with limited pantry space?

Small boxes = LOVE.

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I wish I had known about this pumpkin puree product on Thanksgiving. It is SO good! I used it to make a delicious turkey pumpkin pasta recipe.

The jellied cranberry sauce is the surprise product for me, though.

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I make traditional, homemade cranberry sauce, because I grew up with the jellied stuff and I hated it. I was surprised and excited to see that the Pacific cranberry sauce wasn’t a wiggly mess.

Inside of the carton are real cranberries, a little pure cane sugar and some water. That’s it.

No citric acid, cornstarch, gelatin, or other junk that doesn’t belong in the cranberry sauce I eat.

I’m not kidding, gang, it tastes delicious, and it’s a primary ingredient in this puff pastry dessert recipe.

If you don’t have access to the jellied cranberry sauce, you can just make the puff pastry dessert with homemade cranberry sauce!

Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Squares- an easy and delicious holiday dessert recipe from ItsYummi.com

This puff pastry dessert looks fancy, but it’s super simple to make!

Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Dessert Recipe

Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Squares

Light, flaky puff pastry squares are layered with seasoned cranberries and whipped cream, making a quick and easy dessert. Perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, too!

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 354 kcal

Ingredients

1 box frozen puff pastry (2 puff pastry sheets approximately 9 x 12 inches each)
1 egg
1 Tablespoon water
15 ounces jellied cranberry sauce
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
2 cups whipped cream (homemade or store bought)
1/2 cup caramel sauce ( use my recipe or store bought)

Instructions

Thaw pastry sheets at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften
Line 2 baking sheets (9 x 11 inches each) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice each pastry sheet to form 12 even squares (you'll have 24 squares total)
In a small bowl, lightly beat together egg and water. Use a pastry brush to brush egg wash over the tops of each pastry square. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes, or until squares are golden browned and puffed. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix cranberry sauce, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
After squares have cooled, spread a layer of cranberry sauce on top of one pastry square, then add a layer of whipped cream. Place a pastry square on top of the whipped cream and repeat with another layer of cranberries and whipped cream. Top with one more pastry square and drizzle with caramel sauce. Repeat with remaining pastry squares. Eat and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 173mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23g

Tried this recipe? Mention @itsyummi or tag #itsyummirecipe!

If you’ve got an idea for a way to be Carton Smart, I’d love to hear about it! Just leave a comment for me under this post.

Oh, and if you’re a Pinterest lover like I am, you can follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest

Follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest

Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Dessert Squares - This is my new easy Thanksgiving dessert recipe. It uses frozen puff pastry sheets, organic cranberry sauce, whipped cream, and caramel sauce, so it's super easy to make! Recipe on itsyummi.com

Comments

Peter @Feed Your Soul Too says

December 31, 2013 at 10:03 am

I really like the look of this dish. So flaky and then the sweetness. Yum!

- Becca Heflin says
  
  December 31, 2013 at 10:21 am
  
  Thanks, Peter! When I take the time to make my own puff pastry for this dessert, it’s over-the-top awesome 🙂
  
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says

December 29, 2013 at 8:08 pm

I’ve tried some of the Pacific soups. They are pretty good. I love that they aren’t full of hard to pronounce ingredients! And this puff pastry looks darn good! Thanks for sharing, Becca. Pinned.

- Becca Heflin says
  
  December 29, 2013 at 10:48 pm
  
  Thanks so much, Julie! Finding convenience foods that don’t have funky ingredients is definitely a challenge. These products fit the bill.
  Thanks for Pinning, too!
  
Karen @ Baking In A Tornado says

December 23, 2013 at 5:22 pm

Love the whole idea of carton smart, I’m going to have to look for those Pacific products. And the cranberry dessert with puff pastry and caramel. Genius. Love everything about it.

- Becca Heflin says
  
  December 27, 2013 at 9:44 am
  
  You’re so sweet, Karen, thank you. I hope you’re able to find Pacific products near you. The ones I’ve tried so far have been awesome.

Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Dessert Squares

Cranberry Caramel Puff Pastry Dessert Recipe