Scooped Out Cupcake Tarts Recipes

STRAWBERRY ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• For the dough, beat the butter and sugar with the paddle on medium speed until very soft and light. Beat in the vanilla and the yolk and continue beating until smooth and shiny, about 3 more minutes. Stop the mixer, sift the cake flour and add to the butter mixture. Pulse the mixer on and off to incorporate the flour. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic, wrap and chill it until firm.
• For the almond filling, combine almond paste, sugar, yolk and zest and beat by machine until smooth. Beat in butter, scrape bowl and beaters and beat in eggs. Continue beating until light.
• Stir in flour. Divide the dough into 4 parts and roll one piece at a time on a floured surface. Use each piece of dough to line a 3 to 4 inch diameter tart pan. Mass the scraps together after rolling the dough for the first four pans and line the last two.
• Arrange the sliced berries evenly on the crust in each pan, then top with the almond filling, spreading it evenly with a metal spatula. Strew evenly with the sliced almonds.
• Bake the tarts at 350 degrees about 25 minutes, until dough is baked through and filling is set.
• Cool in pan, unmold and dust with confectioners' sugar. Decorate each tart with a few whole berries.

OVER THE RAINBOW CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together three times. Set aside.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating just until soft peaks form.
• Beat butter in a separate bowl until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar and cream and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk a small amount at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add egg whites and mix well.
• Set out 6 bowls. Add 1 drop of food coloring to the bowls, using a different color in each bowl. Divide the cupcake batter evenly between the bowls. Stir until the coloring is evenly distributed throughout the batter. Add more food coloring, a drop at a time, until desired color is reached.
• Using a tablespoon, spoon the first colored batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner in the prepared pan. Gently spread out to the edge of the liner to create an even layer. Repeat with remaining colors.
• Bake in the preheated oven a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly in pan, then remove to cool completely on wire racks.

LIME CURD PUFF PASTRY CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425*F
• If puff pastry sheets are frozen, allow to thaw so you can unfold the sheets.
• Make Lime Curd if you have not done so already.
• Once puff pastry sheets are malleable, unfold puff pastry sheets.
• Cut each sheet at the crease marks to create 3 long strips per sheet. Then cut three strips across to create 9 squares. Repeat steps 4 & 5 for second sheet of puff pastry.
• Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
• Place one square of puff pastry in easy muffin cup. Gently press down to create a cup.
• Place a Tablespoon of Lime Curd in the center of each puff pastry cup.
• If you do not want the meringue topping, skip down to step #16
• Pour egg whites in a new VERY CLEAN bowl.
• Whip egg whites until big, glossy and smooth.
• Add cream of tartar and whip for 30 seconds more.
• While whipping, slowly add sugar about a Tablespoon at a time all sugar has been added.
• Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Scoop whipped Meringue on top of lime curd.
• Bake for 10 Minutes or until puff pastry sheets are puffed and golden and meringue is golden on the peaks.
• Remove from oven. Allow to cool then remove from muffin tin.
• Sprinkle any cups without meringue with powdered sugar.
• Devour! Store extras in an air tight container for up to 4 days.