Cherry Shells Recipes

CHERRY SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer combine, the sugar cookie dough, cream cheese, eggs, and extract.
• Fit a cookie press or resealable plastic bag with a star template or 3/4-inch star tip. Pipe dough in 2 1/2-inch lines, 2 inches apart on an un-greased cookie sheet. Press a cherry half at the base of each shell. Bake for 12 minutes, until brown on bottom and raw look is gone from tops.

CHERRY TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add enough water until dough forms a ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 450°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut out eight 5-in. circles. Place each over an inverted custard cup on an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan; flute edges. , Bake 10-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before removing tart shells from custard cups; cool completely on wire racks., For filling, in a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup juice. Set cherries aside. Stir reserved juice into sugar mixture until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cherries, butter, almond extract and food coloring if desired. Cool to room temperature. Spoon about 1/4 cup filling into each tart shell.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE TARTS

Steps:

• Bake pastry shells according to package directions. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and extract. With a fork, carefully remove the circular top of each baked shell and set aside. Remove any soft layers of pastry inside shells and discard. , Spoon the cream cheese filling into shells; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until serving., Just before serving, spoon pie filling into shells. Top with reserved pastry circles. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Refrigerate leftovers.