Individual Grape Tarts Recipes

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.

Steps:

• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Make the pastry cream: Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife. Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, and the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from the heat.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl, then whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then pour back into the saucepan with the remaining milk; cook over medium-high heat, whisking, until a few bubbles break the surface and the mixture is thick like pudding, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the vanilla pod. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl; whisk in the butter, then continue whisking until the mixture cools slightly, about 10 minutes. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming; refrigerate until completely cooled, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile make the tartlets: Bake the pastry shells as the label directs; use a fork to remove the centers. Brush the top rim of the shells with the melted butter, sprinkle lightly with the sugar and return to the oven until the sugar is slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shells to a rack to cool completely.
• Whisk the jelly, brandy, lemon juice and water in a small skillet until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Spoon the pastry cream into the shells. Top with the grapes and drizzle with the jelly mixture.

Steps:

• Make tart shells:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pulse pecans with brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground (do not allow to become a paste). Add flour, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and salt and pulse until mixture begins to form large lumps. Divide mixture between tart pans and press evenly over bottom and up sides with floured fingers. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake tart shells in lower third of oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer shells in pans to racks to cool completely. Carefully remove sides of pans, keeping shells on pan base.
• Make filling while shells cool:
• Simmer Port and jelly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes, then stir in lemon juice. Immediately toss grapes with 1 cup glaze in a large bowl until well coated, then mound in tart shells.
• Just before serving, drizzle tarts with more glaze and serve remainder on the side.

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.

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.