Pass the tray. Keep one for yourself.

Golden pastry crackles at the edges. Inside, MouCo Ashley® softens into a buttery, earthy center, its delicate ash-coated rind tucked into every bite. A spoonful of crisp apple and ruby pomegranate brings a bright, juicy finish. Small enough for a party tray, with enough character to start a conversation.

On Sugar Pine Catering’s 2026 menu, baked MouCo Ashley bites bring together puff pastry, our soft-ripened cheese and apple–pomegranate relish. Their winter appetizer menu gives this Fort Collins cheese a festive setting. Our home version uses little open pastry cups and a fresh relish added after baking, so the fruit keeps its crunch.

Home preparation by MouCo; quantities and method developed from the restaurant’s menu description.

🧂 Ingredients

Makes 16 bites; serves 6–8 as an appetizer
Prep: about 20 minutes · Bake: 15–20 minutes · Rest: 5 minutes
Total: about 40–45 minutes, plus pastry thawing

For the pastry bites

• • 1 sheet puff pastry, about 8½–9 oz (240–255 g), thawed according to the package directions but still cold
  • 1 wheel MouCo Ashley®, 4.4 oz (125 g), chilled
  • A little flour, for rolling
  • Softened butter or cooking spray, for the mini muffin pan

For the apple–pomegranate relish

• • ½ cup (65 g) finely diced crisp apple, such as Pink Lady or Granny Smith; skin on is fine
  • ¼ cup (40 g) pomegranate arils
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey, plus a little more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon (3 g) very finely minced shallot
  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped if large
  • A small pinch of fine salt and a little freshly ground black pepper

👣 Instructions

1. 1. Get the oven ready. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C), with a rack in the middle. Lightly grease 16 mini muffin cups, approximately 1¾ inches (4.5 cm) across the top.
   2. Make the little pastry cups. Unfold the cold pastry onto a lightly floured surface. If needed, roll it gently to a 9-inch (23 cm) square. Cut into 16 equal squares, roughly 2¼ inches (5.7 cm) each. Press one square into each prepared cup, keeping the corners standing above the rim. If the pastry becomes soft or sticky, refrigerate the pan for 10 minutes before filling.
   3. Tuck in the Ashley. Remove all packaging from the cheese. Leave the edible rind on and cut the chilled wheel into 16 small pieces, about ¼ oz (8 g) each. Put one piece in each pastry cup, keeping the cheese inside the pastry edges.
   4. Bake for that crisp edge. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deeply golden and the cheese has softened. Check from 15 minutes onward; pale pastry needs more time. Let the bites rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently lift them onto a serving plate.
   5. Make the bright finish. While the bites bake, stir together the apple, pomegranate, lemon juice, honey, shallot and thyme. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Taste the fruit before adding more honey—the relish should stay fresh and bright.
   6. Top and pass. Use a small spoon to lift the relish out of any pooled juice. Add about 1 teaspoon to each warm pastry bite just before serving. Bring any remaining relish to the table. The pastry stays crispest when the fruit goes on at the last moment.

🎯 Notes & Pairings

• • Keep it cool. Cold pastry holds its shape, and chilled Ashley is easier to divide. A mid-aged wheel makes tidy pieces; a very ripe wheel can be portioned with two small spoons.
  • Prep before the doorbell. Shape and fill the pastry cups up to 4 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. Make the relish while they bake. For a larger gathering, double the ingredients and bake in batches.
  • A glass alongside. Dry cider brings out the apple; a dry sparkling wine suits the buttery pastry and cheese. Sparkling apple juice cut with sparkling water makes a lively alcohol-free option.

A little Longmont hospitality

Sugar Pine Catering is a family-owned Colorado caterer based in Longmont. Its team builds seasonal menus around local farms and producers, taking that approach to gatherings across the Front Range. These little Ashley bites capture an idea we like: give good local cheese a crisp pastry shell, a bright seasonal topping and a place on the party tray.

Menu credit: Sugar Pine Catering’s 2026 catering menu, winter passed appetizers (December–April).

Visit Sugar Pine Catering  |  See the original menu  |  Meet the team

Hero artwork: an AI-assisted geometric illustration of Sugar Pine’s Longmont patio. Architectural reference: the venue photograph on Visit Longmont’s Sugar Pine listing.