Elevate Your Winter Coffee Break with Apple Tarts and Le Gruyère AOP

As winter darkness envelops homes, filling them with warm light, the coffee break transforms into a cherished ritual of respite from the daily grind. With flavors that evoke the spirit of Christmas, like apple, lingonberry, and almond, there's a delightful way to elevate your seasonal gatherings by incorporating a special ingredient—Le Gruyère AOP Réserve cheese. This cheese not only enhances the flavors of these festive favorites but also introduces a new dimension to traditional holiday recipes. At the Eisenman sisters' annual Christmas coffee gathering, they present a crowd-pleasing treat: apple tarts that only require a brief time in the oven—just about 10 minutes. "We love how Le Gruyère AOP beautifully complements the sweetness of apples and the tanginess of lingonberries. The combination of cheese, apple, and almond atop crispy puff pastry makes for an excellent festive treat at any mulled wine party," say Lisa and Monica Eisenman, the talented sisters behind this delightful creation. ### Why Le Gruyère AOP Is Perfect for Pastries Le Gruyère AOP is not only a staple on cheese platters but excels in pastry applications as well. Its nutty, slightly salty flavors create a perfect counterbalance to the sweetness of ingredients like apple, lingonberry, and almond. When baked, the cheese melts to a creamy perfection, lending a rich texture and depth of flavor to pastries. It's an enticing combination that you truly need to try. ### Apple Tarts with Le Gruyère AOP, Lingonberries, and Almonds If you haven't yet experienced the fusion of cheese with fruits and nuts in a dessert, now is the perfect time. This sweet and savory combination elevates your coffee moments and is an excellent fit for Advent gatherings. **Ingredients:** - 3 apples - 1 roll of puff pastry - About 1 dl apricot jam - About 50 g Le Gruyère AOP, grated - ½ dl lingonberries - 1 dl almond flakes **Instructions:** 1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. 2. Peel, core, and halve the apples, then slice them thinly. 3. Cut the puff pastry into 12 equal squares and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 4. Trim a smaller square from the center of each pastry square, ensuring to leave the upper-left and lower-right corners uncut to form a flap. 5. Place some grated Le Gruyère AOP in the center of each square and layer the apple slices on top. 6. Diagonally fold the corners of the pastry towards the center to form a neat pattern, crossing them in the process. 7. Brush the apple and pastry with apricot jam, sprinkle with lingonberries, and top with almond flakes. 8. Bake in the middle of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Enjoy your sweet and cheesy tarts with a cup of festive coffee. For more delicious recipes from the Eisenman sisters, make sure to explore their culinary creations featuring Le Gruyère AOP. This exquisite cheese, made in western Switzerland using traditional methods and unpasteurized milk from grazing cows, is free from colorings and preservatives. Its AOP designation ensures that each wheel boasts the highest quality and artisanal craftsmanship. Take a moment this winter to savor the flavors and warmth of the season with these delightful apple tarts and the richness of Le Gruyère AOP—because every coffee break deserves a little extra magic. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2