The Washington Post, February 2, 2005
These two-bite tarts offer cream cheese pastry, the sweet crunch of topping and a surprise of tartness inside. Never be tempted to put more than three cranberries in each one cup; one berry too many can force a tiny fruit eruption during baking. For some reason, this recipe does not work well in regular-size muffin tins or as a large tart.
Makes 24 tarts
Ingredients:
For the crustDirections:
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Have ready a nonstick mini-muffin pan that will accommodate 24 tarts.
In a bowl, using a food processor or your fingertips, combine 8 tablespoons of butter, the cream cheese and flour until a ball of dough forms. The dough should be fairly moist and come together easily.
Cut it into 24 pieces and place each piece into a mini-muffin tin pan. Using your fingertips, press the dough over the bottom and all the way up the sides of each cup.
For the filling: In a bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the egg, sugar, butter and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the nuts.
Place 3 cranberries in each cup and spread some of the nut mixture over the cranberries, filling each cup so the cranberries are covered.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Run the tip of a knife around the edge of each tart to loosen, then slip the tarts out of the pan.
From cookbook author Jane Mengenhauser.
119 calories, 8g fat, 4g saturated fat, 26mg cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 11g carbohydrates, n/a dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 2g protein.
