Prize Winning Festive Phyllo Tarts Recipes

AWARD-WINNING MAPLE-NUT-TOFFEE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Combine egg yolks and milk in a small bowl; stir into flour mixture until dough is blended.
• Press dough, using lightly floured hands, into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the unpricked shell with a double thickness of aluminum foil. Place pan on a large baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine condensed milk, maple flavoring, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir pecans, walnuts, and almonds into the batter.
• Remove shell from the oven, leaving oven on, and fill with batter.
• Return tart to the oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in a microwave oven until melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Drizzle tart with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened and filling is firm.

PRIZE WINNING FESTIVE PHYLLO TARTS

Steps:

• For filling, beat cream cheese and Splenda until smooth.
• Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, and beat well. I usually prepare the filling in the food processor. Set aside.
• For crust, place 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface (keep remainder covered with a damp tea towel to prevent drying out). Brush with melted margarine (or butter). Place a second sheet on top. Cut into 12 squares. Place 1 square in each greased muffin cup, leaving the corners of the square extending up into points. Repeat with remaining 2 sheets of phyllo, placing this next square on top of the phyllo lined muffin cups, but giving it a 1/4 turn, so the points fit between the existing ones (completed pastry should look like a tulip).
• Divide cheese mixture between tart shells. If using optional filling drop 1/2 TBSP of any topping except fresh fruit, in center of each tart.
• Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is set.
• Cool in muffin tin on a rack until only warm, then remove from tin to rack to finish cooling.
• Store in the refrigerator.
• Garnish with fresh fruit (and a sprinkle of powdered sugar) if using that option.

FRUIT TOPPED PHYLLO TART

Steps:

• In paper towel lined sieve, drain the yogurt for 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F and coat 8 x 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. Press 1 sheet phyllo dough into pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of wheat germ; repeat four more times. Each time sprinkle with wheat germ, ruffle the remaining phyllo dough and place around edges of pan coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with remaining wheat germ.
• Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown; cool completely.
• While cooling, in bowl combine yogurt, sour cream, jam, sugar, and zest. Spoon the mixture into the cooled tart shell and top with grapes and blueberries. Dust with powdered sugar.
• OTHER COMBINATIONS FOR THE FILLING: seedless raspberry jam with orange zest and strawberries and kiwifruits, or ginger preserves with orange zest and pineapple and blueberries, or strawberry jam, lime zest with peaches and plums, or orange marmalade with ground cinnamon and cantaloupe and honeydew, or pineapple preserves with five spice powder and raspberries and blackberries, or peach preserves with pumpkin pie spice and mango and strawberries----you can use any of these combo just mix and match--whatever you think is good.