Cheese Tartlets Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Roll out pastry on floured board to form a 12 inch circle.
• Using a 3 inch cutter, cut rounds of dough.
• By reworking dough scraps, there should be 12 rounds.
• Grease the back of a 12-cup muffin pan.
• Fit rounds onto pan and part way up sides of cup – the pastry goes on the OUTSIDE of the cup, not the inside, pressing lightly to seal.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• If pastry has puffed up, press down lightly.
• Set aside to cool Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
• Remove pastry shells from backs of muffins pan and place upright on cookie sheet.
• Place ½ T of blue cheese in bottom of each shell.
• Combine eggs, cream, milk, grated cheese, nutmeg and salt.
• Divide mixture among shells, pouring almost to the top.
• Don’t overfill as cheese mixture will rise during baking.
• There may be a bit of leftover filling.
• Place filled shells in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.
• Serve hot or tepid.

Steps:

• Fry bacon til crisp and set to drain on paper towels.
• Pour off some of the bacon fat, and add onions.
• Cook over medium heat until transparent and tender.
• Combine eggs, sour cream, onion, cheese and a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
• Crumble cooled bacon or chop in small pieces and add to the mixture.
• Stir til cheese is melted and pour into shells.
• Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
• Serve at once or make ahead and reheat.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Unroll 1 pie dough into a round. Arrange three 4 1/4-inch nonstick tartlet pans on the dough and use a paring knife to cut a circle of dough around each that is about 1/2 inch larger than the pan; these don't have to be perfect, but you want to make sure you cut enough excess dough to fill the pan and up the sides. Press the dough evenly into each pan; if any excess dough goes over the top, simply use the top edge of the tartlet pan to cut it away. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pie crusts. Repeat this process with 3 more tartlet pans and the remaining pie dough. Place the 6 tartlet pans on a baking sheet and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes sit for 10 to 15 minutes for the flavors to combine.
• Bake the crusts until the dough is cooked part of the way through without any color and bubbles form on the bottom and sides, about 6 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• To each tartlet, add about 3 tablespoons of grated Cheddar and spread evenly over the bottom. Top the cheese in each with 8 tomato halves cut-side up, making sure to get some garlic with each tomato. Bake until the crusts are golden brown, the cheese is bubbling and the tomatoes are softened but have not burst, about 30 minutes. Let cool until cool enough to handle, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the tartlets from the tart pans and garnish with small basil leaves.
• These tartlets can be stored in the refrigerator after they have cooled completely and reheated in the oven the next day for great leftovers!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter and cut out 12 rounds from 2 sheets of puff pastry. Take a 12 hole mini muffin pan and place rounds of dough into each hole, pressing gently to form a cup and giving room for the filling. Cover with plastic wrap and keep the prepared pan in the refrigerator or freezer (depends how long until you need it).
• In a skillet add butter and oil. Throw in the onions and cook gently until softened and caramelized, stirring frequently for about 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooked add the scallions and chives. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a bowl whisk together the egg, cream, and salt. Add the cooked onions to the custard, stirring thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pastry cups with a spoon. Break up the goat cheese and place on top of tarts. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Blanch the swiss chard in boiling water for a minute; drain and squeeze dry. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the basil, cheeses, and 4 of the eggs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add half of the saffron and soft butter.
• Fill the prebaked tart shell and bake for 15 minutes. Beat remaining egg with remaining saffron and spoon this over the surface of the tart. Bake for 20 minutes longer or until puffy.

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions, sugar, and salt, to taste. Cook until the onions begin to brown. Adjust the heat to low and cook slowly, turning often, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl combine the goat cheese, egg, cream, and thyme. Pour the mixture into a small resealable plastic food storage bag. Snip off a corner of the bag to use it for piping.
• Lay the pie crusts out flat on a clean surface and with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter cut out 12 circles from each crust. Press them into the cups of the mini-muffin tin. Fill each cup 1/2 way with the cooled onions. Pipe the cheese mixture on top of the onions, filling the cups. Bake the tarts until the filling is set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the tarts cool slightly, and then remove them from the muffin tin and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean surface (cover the other sheets with a damp towel), brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Cover with another phyllo sheet, brush with more butter and sprinkle with another teaspoon parmesan. Top with the remaining phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut the phyllo stack into 24 squares, about 3 inches each. Brush a 24-cup mini muffin tin with oil, then firmly press a phyllo square, buttered-side down, into each cup. Bake until golden, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the goat cheese, lemon zest and vinegar until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and mix in the egg yolks, then the spinach.
• Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each phyllo cup and top with the remaining parmesan. Bake until the filling is set, 15 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan; remove and top with the chives.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup (12 total) of muffin pan.
• Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Place a vanilla wafer FLAT side down, in each muffin cup. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers filling each to about 1/4 inch from top of paper.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Allow tarts to cool completely before filling. When you remove the tarts from the oven, they will be puffed up, but as they cool, the center will sink, creating the perfect well to fill with a couple of spoonfuls of your favorite filling.
• Chill thoroughly before serving.

Steps:

• Put the flour, butter and salt into the bowl of a food processor, then pulse until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Splash in 4 tbsp cold water, then pulse to a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth disc, then wrap and chill for at least 10 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
• Roll pastry out on a floured surface until large enough to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry, leaving any excess pastry overhanging. Line with baking paper, then fill with baking beans. Bake on a baking sheet for 15 mins. Take out the paper and beans, then bake for 10 mins more until pale golden and cooked. Use a serrated knife to trim the pastry level with the tin - resting the knife flat on the edge of the tin will help achieve an even finish.
• While the pastry cooks, soften the onions in the oil over a medium heat for 10 mins until golden. Beat the eggs and cream together, then season to taste. Crumble up the hard cheeses and chop or pull the creamy cheese into small pieces. Scatter the cheese into the pastry case, add the onions, then pour in the egg mix. Turn the oven down to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 and bake for 40 mins until set and lightly golden.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. Lay pastry on a floured work surface. Using a round 7.5cm round pastry cutter, cut out as many circles as possible.
• Sit them on oiled baking sheets and score a circle about 2.5cm in from the edge of each disc by pressing gently with a 5cm cutter. Pierce the middle of each with a fork, brush with egg and top with a little cranberry sauce or chutney.
• Slice the cheese 5mm thick so you have a slice per disc (discard end rinds). Lay a slice on each tartlet, then top with thyme leaves, a drizzle of oil and a twist of black pepper.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden and the pastry crispy. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm, garnished with rocket leaves.

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add wine and cook for 2 minutes. Remove onions from heat and stir in pepper. Let cool slightly.
• Place the tarts on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bottom of each tart shell. Spoon onions into the shell and spread evenly. Sprinkle thyme over the onions. Brush the exposed crust of each tartlet with the egg wash. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake in a preheated 375 F oven until the onions have turned a rich golden brown; about 20 minutes. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature garnished with thyme sprigs.

Steps:

• Sift flour into a mixing bowl and add salt.
• Rub 1/3 cup of the butter into the flour until mixture resemble bread crumbs.
• Stir in the cold water to make a firm dough.
• Knead the dough lightly, ten roll out on a lightly floured surface.
• Line 4 4-inch tartlet pans with the dough, trimming the dough to fit the pans.
• Prick the bases with a fork and set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in a skillet.
• Discard the stems from the watercress or spinach and add the leaves to the skillet (if using spinach, make sure it's well drained before mixing with the filling ingredients) along with the garlic and shallot.
• Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the watercress is wilted.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese, yogurt and paprika.
• Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases and cook in a preheated oven at 350F for 20 minutes or until the filling is firm.
• Turn out the tartlets and serve hot or cold.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. On a work surface, unroll crusts. Cut 24 circles with a floured 3-in. scalloped round cookie cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary. Press circles onto bottoms and partway up sides of ungreased muffin cups, smoothing edges. Prick bottoms generously with a fork., Bake until light golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and vanilla until blended; beat in 1/4 cup lemon curd. Fold in a third of the whipped topping, then fold in remaining topping., Spoon 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture into each tart shell; top each with 1 teaspoon lemon curd. Top with blueberries; refrigerate until serving. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Unroll the pastry and cut into 4 rectangles. Use a sharp knife to score a 1cm border around each, place on a baking tray, then chill until needed.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat, stirring, for about 10 mins, or until golden brown and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Season, add the garlic and walnuts, and cook for 1 min. Set aside.
• Put the goat's cheese in a bowl, season and stir through the thyme leaves. Remove the pastry from the fridge and spread the cheese over the centres. Top with the mushroom mixture, then brush the edge of the pastry with beaten egg for a glossier finish, and bake for 20-25 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Top with the remaining thyme sprigs and a good grinding of black pepper. Serve with a baby leaf salad.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cut the pastry into 4 rectangles and place on a baking sheet. Mark a border 1cm in from the edge of the pastry with a sharp knife. Spoon the onions into the middle, smooth then top with the cheese and thyme. Drizzle with oil and bake for 15-20 mins, until the cheese has melted and the pastry has risen and is golden brown.
• For the onions: Makes 600g, which is 3 batches. Prep time 5 mins, cook time 30 mins. Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan and stir through the onions. Cover with a lid and cook gently for about 10 mins, until softened. Remove lid, add sugar, then cook 15-20 mins, stirring, until all of the liquid has evaporated and onions have turned golden. Divide into 3 batches to make the recipes, right. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Wash the leeks in a colander but don't worry about drying them as you want a bit of water clinging on. Heat the butter in a wide saucepan until sizzling, then add the wet leeks and thyme leaves plus salt and pepper. Sweat the leeks really gently for 20-25 mins until they have practically melted but not coloured, adding a little more butter if needed. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out 4 saucer-size circles and place on a baking sheet. Spread the leeks over the circles leaving a slight border around the edge. Put a slice of goat's cheese in the middle of each tart and top with a thyme sprig. Pinch the pastry edge together to slightly encase the leeks, then bake the tarts for 25 mins until puffed up and golden. Serve hot and drizzled with flavoured oil if you have it.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in the milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., In another bowl, beat the butter, flour, confectioners' sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place in greased miniature muffin cups; press onto the bottom and up the sides. Prick with a fork., Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately run a knife around each tart to loosen completely. Cool in pans on wire racks., Pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cheese filling into each tart shell. Cover and refrigerate until set. Just before serving, garnish with raspberries and mint if desired.

Steps:

• Pre-bake phyllo shells according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
• Mix together blue cheese, pear, and cream. Season to taste with pepper. Spoon mixture into cooled shells.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Serve warm.