Grape Vanilla Tartlets Recipes

ORANGE-DRIZZLED GRAPE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut cookie dough into twelve slices, about 3/4 in. thick. On ungreased baking sheets, pat each slice to form 1/2-in.-thick circles. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until blended. Spread over cookie crusts. Top with grapes., In a microwave-safe dish, microwave marmalade, covered, on high 15-20 seconds or until warmed. Drizzle over grapes.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place 15 mini phyllo shells on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees F until just golden, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, 1/4 cup each honey and sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and a pinch of salt to the butter in the skillet; cook, stirring until thick, 5 minutes. Divide among the shells and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Let cool.

RASPBERRY VANILLA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan; whisk in the milk until smooth. Heat over medium-high heat, whisking, until bubbles begin to form. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Slowly pour 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg while whisking vigorously until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking vigorously, until thick and starting to bubble, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool until thick, whisking frequently. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla.
• Scoop about 1 scant tablespoon vanilla pudding into each tartlet shell and top each with a raspberry. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

GRAPE JELLY BREAKFAST TARTS

Steps:

• Make the tarts: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the shortening and about one-quarter of the butter and pulse until they disappear into the flour, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining butter and pulse a few times, until the mixture looks like coarse meal with pea-size bits of butter. Add 1/2 cup ice water and pulse once or twice, until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, form into a disk and wrap tightly; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. (For quicker tarts, use refrigerated pie dough and skip this step.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out ten 4-by-3-inch rectangles using a toaster pastry press or a paring knife. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Chill at least 15 minutes.
• Spread 5 of the dough rectangles with a heaping tablespoonful of jelly each, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Brush the edges with the beaten egg, then cover with the remaining 5 dough rectangles. Crimp the edges with a fork or use the toaster pastry press to seal. Chill at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake the tarts until flaky and golden, 20 to 25 minutes, brushing with the milk after 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: Bring the granulated sugar, orange juice and liqueur (if using) to a simmer in a large skillet over low heat; cook until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Let cool. Brush the glaze on the tarts, sprinkle with the orange zest and let set, 5 minutes.

LEMON MERINGUE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Pulse the flour, almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough starts coming together. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk and wrap in the plastic. Refrigerate until cold but still malleable, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly butter four 4-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Divide the prepared dough into 4 pieces, then press into the bottom and up the side of each prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes, then use a paring knife to trim the excess pastry.
• Place the tart shells on a baking sheet, line each with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crusts are golden brown all over, 5 to 10 more minutes. Let cool, then carefully loosen the crusts but leave in the pans on the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan until smooth. Whisk in the whole egg and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the mixture simmers, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and limoncello and continue whisking over medium heat until thick like pudding, 4 to 6 more minutes. Spoon the curd into the prepared crusts.
• Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar and beat until stiff shiny peaks form, 4 to 5 more minutes. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bagfitted with a star tip and pipe onto the tarts. Bake at 375 degrees F until the meringue is set and golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely before unmolding.

STRAWBERRY 4-POINT TARTLETS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 (5-inch) squares. Place the pastry squares onto a baking sheet. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
• Stir the jam and vinegar in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Add the strawberries and black pepper and toss to coat. Spoon about 1/4 cup strawberry mixture in the center of each pastry square. Fold the pastry corners over the filling to the center and twist the points firmly to seal. Brush with the egg mixture.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Serve each with 1/2 cup ice cream, if desired.

DERBY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Pulse the flour, walnuts, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap; shape into a disk, then wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray an 18-cup mini-muffin pan with cooking spray. Press 1 tablespoon dough into the bottom and up the side of each cup. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Bake the crusts until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, then press the centers of the crusts down with a small spoon. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Put the chocolate chips in a bowl. Combine 3 tablespoons cream and 1 tablespoon bourbon in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until simmering, about 30 seconds; pour over the chocolate chips and let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
• Spoon the filling into the crusts and let set, about 20 minutes. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup cream and 1 tablespoon bourbon with the confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form; spoon onto the tartlets and top with the candied walnuts.

HEALTHY BLUEBERRY-RICOTTA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Stir together the ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla and 1 tablespoon apricot jam in a small bowl.
• Toss together the blueberries with the remaining 1 teaspoon of apricot jam in another small bowl.
• Spoon the ricotta mixture into the phyllo cups. Top each with a few blueberries and nuts. The tartlets can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.

PASTRY CREAM FOR GRAPE TART

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and light; beat in flour and cornstarch.
• In a saucepan, bring milk just to a boil; whisking constantly, gradually add milk to egg mixture.
• Return mixture to saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent scorching, until mixture is thick and pulling away from sides of pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
• Using a rubber spatula, press mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap, and cool to room temperature in refrigerator.

GRAPE TART

Steps:

• Make pastry cream:
• Whisk together yolks and 1/2 of sugar, then whisk in flour and a pinch salt. Stir together milk and remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring just to a boil over moderate heat. Whisk 1/2 of hot milk into yolks to temper and whisk yolks into milk remaining in pan. Bring custard to a boil over moderate heat and boil, whisking constantly, until very thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter until incorporated. Chill hot pastry cream in a bowl, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper, until cold, about 1 hour.
• Make tart:
• Preheat oven to 425°F while pastry cream chills.
• Open puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 14- by 12-inch rectangle. Quarter pastry to form 4 rectangles. Brush 1/3 inch of edges lightly with water and fold in borders. Brush off excess flour and press borders with back of a fork to seal. Brush borders lightly with water and sprinkle with sugar. Prick insides of shells all over with fork. Bake on a large baking sheet in middle of oven until crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, and transfer to a rack. Gently flatten puff pastry inside border to deflate, and cool completely.
• Halve and seed grapes if necessary. Melt jelly, stirring, and toss with grapes in a bowl.
• Spread pastry cream in shells with a spatula and top with grapes.