Individual Grape Tarts Recipes

CRISP GRAPE TARTS

Steps:

• Cut each phyllo pastry sheet into six squares, about 4 inches each. Layer six squares of phyllo pastry in each of six muffin cups, brushing each layer with butter and placing the corners of the squares to create a petal effect. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or until phyllo is crisp and lightly browned. Brush bottom of each pastry cup lightly with honey, using about 1 tablespoon among the 6 cups. Remove phyllo cups from muffin pan and cool on baking rack. Toss grapes with liqueur and remaining 2 tablespoons honey. Mix well and let stand 30 minutes.
• Note: You may use whipped cream cheese or prepared vanilla pudding instead of yogurt, if you prefer. Roll remaining phyllo from the purchased package in waxed paper; then in plastic wrap and store according to package recommendation.
• Nutritional Stats: Using yogurt: Calories 194; Protein 3 g; Fat 8 g; Carbohydrates 26 g; Cholesterol 22 mg; Fiber 1.0 g; Sodium 150 mg.

GRAPE TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water; process until mixture just comes together when squeezed (add more water if necessary). Add oats; pulse to combine.
• Press dough onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove sides of pan; cool crust.
• Whisk cooled pastry cream until smooth. Spread evenly in crust; arrange grapes on top; press in.
• Chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

FRESH GRAPE TARTS

Steps:

• Puree 1 1/2 cups grapes in processor. Strain grape puree, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible. Pour 1/2 cup grape juice into large bowl; discard any remaining juice. Cut 4 3/4 cups grapes lengthwise in half; add all grapes to juice in bowl. Add sugar, 6 tablespoons flour, and lemon juice; toss to blend well. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Cut off just enough pastry from corners to form rough circle. Transfer pastry to 1 prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over center of pastry, leaving 2 1/2-inch plain border. Spoon half of grape mixture, including juices, into center of pastry. Fold pastry edges up over grapes, forming 2- to 2 1/2-inch border. Dot grapes with 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat with remaining ingredients for second tart.
• Bake tarts until crusts are golden brown and grape juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes (crust border will unfold slightly). Cool tarts to room temperature. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

INDIVIDUAL GRAPE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, unfold pastry. Cut into 4 squares (4 3/4 inches each). Transfer to a rimless baking sheet. Using the tip of a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around edges of squares, being careful not to cut all the way through pastry. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk together egg yolk and cream; set egg wash aside. Toss together grapes, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Divide grape mixture among tart shells, keeping it inside the borders. Brush edges of tarts with egg wash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until pastry is crisp and golden and grapes are just beginning to collapse, 23 to 27 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack.

MINI FRUIT TARTS

Steps:

• Stir flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces the size of small peas. Mix in water with a fork just until the dough comes together.
• Toss berries, sugar, flour, and salt together in a bowl to make the filling. Set aside at room temperature.
• Lightly butter or grease 14 muffin cups. Place some dough in each muffin cup and press it against the bottoms and sides to create tart shells that are 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Divide berry filling evenly among the tart shells.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Refrigerate tarts for 15 minutes while the oven preheats.
• Bake tarts in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes.

INDIVIDUAL HONEYCRISP APPLE TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set out two 6-ounce ramekins.
• Place puff pastry sheet on a work surface and let thaw for just 5 minutes; it should still be partially frozen and very firm. Use a round pastry cutter the same diameter as your ramekins to cut out 2 rounds of dough. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Prick each pastry round all over with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastries are puffed up and the bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slide parchment paper off the baking pan onto a work surface; press warm pastries down lightly with the back of a fork to deflate them a bit. Let cool.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Mix brown sugar, white sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, and a very small pinch of salt together in a bowl.
• Use 1 1/2 teaspoons butter to generously grease the bottom and sides of each ramekin. Spoon the sugar mixture evenly into each ramekin, reserving about 1 1/2 teaspoons for later. Shake ramekins gently to settle and flatten the sugar mixture.
• Fill a bowl with 3 cups cold water. Add lemon juice.
• Turn one apple on its side; trim about 1/4 inch off the top and bottom of the apple, then cut it in half through the center. Repeat with the second apple.
• Peel around the apple halves to remove the peel; discard. Continue to peel the flesh, making ribbons as long and as thick as possible until you reach the core, letting the ribbons drop into the water. As long as your ribbons are 3- to 4-inches long, that's fine.
• Pull out 3 to 4 of the longest ribbons and line them up on a work surface into one long ribbon, overlapping the ends an inch or so. Roll the ribbon up tightly to form the center of the tart, then turn it up on its end. Coil more ribbons around the center, overlapping as you go, until you have a coil that's the same diameter as your ramekin. Pick up the apple coil and place it into the ramekin, with the flat side on top of the sugar. Repeat to make the second tart.
• Dot 1/2 teaspoon butter over each tart, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture. Top each tart with a pastry round, placing the fork-poked side down on the apples.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastries have browned and juices are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and press the hot pastries down gently with a fork. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Run a knife around each pastry, then turn over onto serving plates. Use a spoon to go around each tart to separate the layers and create more definition, if desired.

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.