- The Dish: Bite-sized, savoury tartlets filled with plump garlic prawns in a creamy white sauce, baked in a flaky puff pastry shell and topped with Parmesan cheese.
- Key Feature: An incredibly simple, budget-friendly recipe that looks and tastes gourmet. At just $0.77 per piece, it’s the ultimate party food hack. The recipe uses store-bought puff pastry for maximum ease.
- Perfect For: Effortless entertaining, holiday gatherings, canape platters, or anyone needing a fast and impressive appetizer that can be partially prepared in advance.
In any professional kitchen, the canape is king. It’s the first thing your guests taste, and it sets the tone for the entire meal.
The secret isn’t complexity; it’s impact. You need a perfect bite that’s packed with flavour but easy to handle.
That’s where these Garlic Prawn Tartlets come in. They were my go-to for countless functions because they deliver that ‘wow’ factor without the stress.
This recipe is built on efficiency—a principle every chef lives by.
We use ready-made puff pastry and a classic white sauce (which you can make a day ahead) as the base for beautiful garlic-kissed prawns.
I’m going to share the professional trick for blanching the prawns and chilling them first, which guarantees they stay tender and don’t overcook in the oven.
This is how you create elegant, crowd-pleasing party food that’s both delicious and incredibly cost-effective.
What Exactly Are Garlic Prawn Tartlets?
A Garlic Prawn Tartlet is a classic appetizer made with a puff pastry base. The pastry cups are filled with prawns that have been blanched in garlic butter, mixed into a creamy white sauce (Béchamel), and then topped with Parmesan cheese and shallots before being baked until golden.
What Do They Taste Like?
Expect a delightful contrast of textures and flavours. The pastry is light and flaky, the filling is rich and creamy, the prawns are savoury and tender with a gentle garlic flavour, and the Parmesan topping adds a salty, cheesy crust. It’s a perfectly balanced, savoury bite.
Is This Recipe Difficult to Make?
Not at all. This recipe is rated for beginners. Using store-bought puff pastry and a pre-made white sauce saves a huge amount of time. The steps are simple and straightforward, making it perfect for any home cook.
What’s the Secret to a Perfect Tartlet?
The key is pre-cooking the prawns. Briefly blanching the prawns in garlic butter and then chilling them before adding them to the pastry ensures they are perfectly cooked and flavourful without becoming tough and rubbery in the oven. Using a cold white sauce also helps the pastry cook properly from the bottom up.
Can I Make These Tartlets Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! This is one of the best things about this recipe for entertaining.
- The White Sauce: Can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
- The Prawns: Can be blanched in garlic butter and chilled a day ahead.
- Assembly: You can assemble the tartlets completely (uncooked) a few hours ahead of time, keep them covered in the fridge, and bake them just before your guests arrive so they are served warm.
Cost Per Serving Analysis
This appetizer proves that elegant party food doesn’t have to be expensive. Here is the estimated cost breakdown based on the recipe for 9 pieces.
Adjust the servings below and scale the recipe from 1 to 100 pieces or more.
| Items | Estimated Total Cost | Estimated Cost Per Piece |
| Batch of 9 Tartlets | ~$6.93 AUD | ~$0.77 AUD |
Export to Sheets
Note: Prices are estimates based on typical Australian supermarket prices and can vary.
Nutritional Snapshot
These tartlets offer a good source of protein from the prawns and cheese. While they are a delicious indulgence, they are portion-controlled, making them a perfect bite-sized appetizer for any gathering.
(Disclaimer: This is an estimate and not a formal nutritional analysis).
(The full recipe card you provided would be inserted here)
Garlic Prawn Tart, Garlic Shrimp Appetizer Recipe
Recipes Live
Warning
You must check the labels of the ingredients for common food allergens, such as dairy, eggs, gluten & wheat, sesame, sulphites, lupins, soy & soybeans, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish. While we take steps to minimize risk, manufacturers may change their formulations without our knowledge.
Equipment
- Canapes Pan muffin pan small
- Scales
- Canapes Scoop, Ice Cream Scoop
- Stainless Steel Bowl
- Chef Knife
Ingredients
- 20 g butter unsalted
- 6 g garlic crushed
- 180 g prawn peeled, 20 g each
- 10 ml canola oil spray
- 200 g puff pastry store-bought
- 100 ml white sauce cold
- 30 g Parmesan cheese shaved
- 5 g shallots sliced
total food cost
Preparation Time Estimate
Adjustable servings
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°c/350°f or 10% less if a fan-forced oven.
- Spray canapes pan with canola oil. Push the pastry into the tray holes.10 ml canola oil
- Cut each sheet into 9 even size squares.200 g puff pastry
- Blanch prawns in garlic butter, then chill.20 g butter, 180 g prawn
- Fill each pastry base with 2 cooked shrimp or prawns, about (20 grams or t-spoon) mixed with then white sauce.6 g garlic, 100 ml white sauce
- Sprinkle each tartlet with shaved parmesan cheese. Top with shallots.30 g Parmesan cheese, 5 g shallots
- Cook for 15 minutes until golden brown or less with a fan-forced oven.
