When you have a craving for dessert (which, if you’re like me, is pretty much every day), but you don’t want to spend hours baking try making some tarts.
If you use frozen tart shells like I do you can have a batch of yummy bite-sized desserts made in no time flat (don’t thaw the shells before baking them). You can definitely make your own tart shells if you’re one of those gifted people who can make great pastry. I’m not.
Another quick way to make the shells is to use refrigerated pastry. You can find it in the same section of your supermarket as the tubes of crescent rolls. There are two rolled-up circles of pastry per box, pre-cut to fit a nine-inch pie plate. Just unroll them and cut them into circles to fit into your tart tin (you might want to use a rolling pin and roll the pastry a bit thinner before cutting the circles because it makes it easier to fit them into the tart tin).
Or thaw some frozen pie shells, roll them a bit thinner and cut circles from those. If you use frozen tart shells the tarts will be easy to remove from the foil pans.
If you’re baking the tarts in a tart pan be sure to spray each cup well with cooking spray and be careful not to let any filling run under the pastry into the pan, or you’ll have a hard time getting the tarts out. You may find that the filling recipes below make enough for more than 12 tarts, so it’s a good idea to have a few extra tart shells available to use up the excess.
Raspberry Almond Tarts
½ cup butter, softened
2⁄3 cup firmly packed icing sugar, plus additional for dusting tops of tarts
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1½ cups ground almonds
2 cups fresh raspberries
12 frozen three-inch tart shells (or pastry to make 12 tart shells)
Preheat oven to 350° F. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, icing sugar and almond extract together in a large bowl.
Once the icing sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy, about five minutes, stopping the mixer a couple of times to scrape the bowl. Add the first egg to the mixture and beat on medium for one minute.
Scrape down the bowl then add the second egg and beat for another minute (the mixture will look a bit curdled). Add the flour and the ground almonds and either stir in with a spoon or with the mixer on very low speed until ingredients are combined. Place the frozen tart shells on a baking sheet (or gently press pastry circles into tart tins which have been sprayed with cooking spray).
Divide the filling evenly between the tart shells and smooth the tops with a knife. Press three or four raspberries halfway into the filling of each tart; bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tarts are light golden brown and filling is set. Cool tarts on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from tins. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Makes 12.
Pecan Mini Pies
3 large eggs, well beaten
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup corn syrup
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
12 frozen three-inch tart shells (or pastry to make 12 tart shells)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine all ingredients except pecans in a medium bowl and stir until combined. Place the frozen tart shells on a baking sheet (or gently press pastry circles into tart tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray).
Divide the chopped pecans evenly among the tart shells and then pour an equal amount of the liquid filling into each shell (pecans will float to the top, shells should be about three-quarters full).
If baking the tarts in a tart tin be very careful not to get any filling into the tin itself or the tarts will stick to the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until filling is just set. Cool for five to 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from tins. Makes 12.
Raisin Butter Tarts
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup corn syrup
½ cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup golden raisins
12 frozen three-inch tart shells (or pastry to make 12 tart shells)
Preheat oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter until combined; whisk in the eggs then the vinegar and vanilla. Place frozen tart shells on a baking sheet (or gently press pastry circles into tart tins that have been sprayed with cooking spray).
Place a few raisins in the bottom of each tart shell and pour an even amount of filling into each shell (shells should be about three-quarters full). Bake the tarts for five minutes then reduce oven temperature to 375° F. and continue baking until filling starts to puff up into a dome shape, about another 20 minutes. Cool tarts completely on a wire rack; if baking in a tart pan place the tart pan in the fridge for an hour before removing tarts. Makes 12.
Angela Shellard is aself-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
