Apple Rose Mini Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Scatter the butter pieces on top, and pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and pulse until incorporated. Pulse in the water, about 2 teaspoons at a time, until the dough starts to hold together. It will appear to be a bit crumbly, but should hold together easily when pressed.
• Lightly butter a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, and pour the dough mixture into it. Press the mixture evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (Use a lightly floured straight-sided measuring cup to help press the dough into the corners of the pan.) Reserve extra dough to repair any cracks after the shell is baked.
• Freeze the formed dough in the pan until completely firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Line the tart shell with a piece of aluminum foil, making sure to tuck it into the corners and over the edges. Bake the shell for 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough appears dry and lightly golden. If the dough puffs up while baking, gently press it back into the pan with an offset spatula or similar tool. If necessary, repair any cracks with the remaining raw dough. Cool slightly while you prepare the apples.
• Cut the apples from their cores in 3 pieces: Stand the apples up, with the stems facing up, and, using a sharp knife, cut 1 face of the apple, then rotate the apple about 120 degrees, slice again, and finally slice the last piece from the core. You should have a triangle-shaped piece of core left and 3 pieces of apple with flat bottoms.
• Reserve a smaller piece of apple, and carefully slice all the other apples into very thin half-moons, about 1/8-inch thick. (A mandoline makes this move quickly, but, if you are using a knife and working slowly, it's a good idea to squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over the sliced apples to prevent browning.) Make sure to keep the slices together as you cut to make the assembly easier.
• Once the apples are sliced, build the tart: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon sugar on the bottom of the blind-baked tart shell. Starting at the outer edge, arrange the apples in tight concentric circles, overlapping each slice about halfway over its neighbor. Take care to stand the apples up vertically, with the cut edges down and the peel edge pointing up. Pack the rows very tightly, stopping periodically to check your work.
• As you move toward the center, the apples will become trickier to bend into place. If you find the slices are breaking, slice the reserved piece of apple even thinner to make it easier to bend. Roll the last few slices into a circle and tuck it in the center.
• Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and a pinch of salt over the apple slices. Take care to sprinkle the sugar between the apple slices, rather than on top. Scatter the butter pieces on top, and bake the tart for 40 to 45 minutes or until the apples begin to brown just slightly on the edges and the crust is a deep golden brown. Check the tart periodically to make sure the shell is not over-browning at the edges. If it is, cover the edges with foil.
• Cool the tart on a rack for about 10 minutes, then prepare the glaze: In a small saucepan, warm the jam and a few drops of water over medium-low heat until it is runny. Use a pastry brush to very gently brush the warm tart with jam. Avoid brushing jam on the crust, but a thin layer all over the apple slices. Serve warm or room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Unfold 1 refrigerated pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Cut 12, 2 1/2 inch circles from the pie crust, re-rolling the dough if necessary. Press each into a cup of a mini muffin pan.
• For the filling, whisk cream cheese until smooth. Whisk in sugar until fluffy. Add egg; blend well. Stir in flour, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined. Stir apples into cream cheese mixture.
• Spoon apple filling into 12 crusts.
• For topping, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until it forms a coarse crumb. Spoon topping evenly over each tart.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing.

Steps:

• Cut apples lengthwise in half, then cut each half crosswise into 15 thin slices.
• Cook water and 2 Tbsp. honey in medium saucepan on medium heat 2 to 3 min. or until heated through. Add apples; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 5 to 8 min. or just until apples are softened, stirring occasionally. Drain apples; spread onto rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely.
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Melt chocolate as directed on package. Mix with Neufchatel until blended.
• Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface; cut crosswise into 6 strips. Spread with Neufchatel mixture. Arrange 5 apple slices, overlapping slightly, down one long side of each pastry strip, extending tops of apple slices slightly over top edge of pastry strip.
• Spray 6 muffin pan cups with cooking spray. Roll up each pastry strip, starting at one short end. Stand, apple sides up, in prepared muffin cups.
• Bake 40 to 45 min. or until golden brown. Cool slightly.
• Microwave remaining honey in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 10 sec. or just until warmed; brush onto tarts.

Steps:

• Combine flour, white sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cubed butter using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until dough just comes together into a ball.
• Form the dough into a disc. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin with butter.
• Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a well floured surface. Cut out nine 3 1/2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or floured glass. Press rounds into the muffin tin, pushing dough up the sides in the shape of a cup. Transfer to the refrigerator.
• Core apples by slicing around the core on 4 sides. Cut apples into very thin half moons using a mandolin or a very sharp knife. Toss apple slices with lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl; pour over apples and toss to combine. Microwave apples until pliable enough to roll, about 1 minute.
• Lay 10 apple slices in a horizontal line on a flat work surface with the skin side facing you; arrange slices so that each slice overlaps the previous slice by half. Roll up the slices tightly from one end to the other. Arrange 2 to 8 additional slices around the outside of each apple rose to reach desired size. Repeat with remaining slices to form 8 more apple roses.
• Combine remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl; brush over the bottom of each dough cup. Place an apple rose in each cup.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dough turns golden and apples are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Pour strawberry preserves into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until liquid, about 30 seconds. Brush preserves over each apple rose.