Crab Puffs Recipe
Fresh lump crab, Zingerman's Cream Cheese, red bell pepper, scallion and spices in a bite-sized pastry puff.
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Ingredients
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Crab Filling
Pastry & Assembly
Method
Crab Filling
- 1
Prepare vegetables
Finely dice the red bell pepper until you have about 1/2 cup. Thinly slice scallions; measure 3 tablespoons (include both white and green parts). Finely chop the parsley.
- 2
Gently mix crab
In a medium bowl, gently pick through the lump crab meat to remove any shells and large cartilage pieces. Transfer crab to the bowl, being careful not to break large lumps.
- 3
Combine cream cheese and seasonings
In a separate bowl, soften the cream cheese with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire, Old Bay, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined and smooth.
- 4
Fold in vegetables and crab
Fold the diced red pepper, scallions, and chopped parsley into the seasoned cream cheese. Gently fold in the lump crab meat until evenly incorporated — avoid overworking to keep lumps intact. Taste and adjust seasoning (add up to 1/4 tsp more salt or a squeeze more lemon if needed). Chill the filling in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to firm slightly; this makes portioning easier.
Pastry & Assembly
- 5
Thaw and preheat
Place frozen puff pastry sheets in the refrigerator to thaw about 30–40 minutes, or follow package instructions until pliable but still cold. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 6
Prepare pastry
Lightly flour your work surface and roll each thawed pastry sheet once to smooth seams (about 1/8 inch thickness). Using a 2-inch round cutter (or a knife and a 2-inch template), cut 24 rounds total (12 rounds per sheet). Gather scraps, chill briefly if they become too warm, then reroll once to cut remaining rounds.
- 7
Form cups
If making puff cups, gently press each round into the cups of a mini muffin tin (or form a shallow cup on the baking sheet by shaping edges up). Alternatively, make rectangles/squares (approx. 2.5-inch) and create pillows: place filling on one piece, brush edges with egg wash, top with another piece, and seal.
- 8
- 9
Portion filling
Using a small spoon or a #70 (1-tablespoon) scoop, portion about 1 tablespoon of the chilled crab filling into each prepared pastry cup or onto each bottom piece (leave room for puffing). Do not overfill.
- 10
Top and finish
If using cups, leave open-faced for presentation or top with a slightly smaller round of pastry to make a sealed puff. If topping, press edges gently and crimp with a fork to seal. Brush the tops of the puffs lightly with egg wash for a glossy finish. Optional: sprinkle a tiny pinch of smoked paprika or chopped parsley on top for color.
- 11
Bake
Bake on the center rack in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 14–18 minutes, until pastry is puffed and deep golden brown. Baking time will vary slightly depending on size and whether cups are open-faced or sealed; check at 12 minutes.
- 12