Marbled Tarts Recipes

MARBLED LEMON TART WITH SAGE-CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in lemon juice. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk constantly until mixture has thickened and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Whisk in gelatin mixture. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until smooth. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Prepare an ice-water bath. Place bowl of yolk mixture over bath, and stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Spread curd into crust; smooth top. Dollop creme fraiche on top. Using a wooden skewer or the tip of a knife, swirl creme fraiche into curd to create a marbleized effect. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours (or up to overnight).

MAPLE BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place tart shells on a baking sheet; sprinkle raisins evenly into the bottom of tart shells.
• Beat brown sugar and butter together in a bowl until smooth; whisk in eggs, maple syrup, flour, vanilla extract, and salt. Fill each tart shell 3/4 full with maple syrup mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is set and shells are golden, about 16 minutes. Turn the baking sheet halfway through the baking time for even baking.

MARBLED TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, cocoa and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
• Sprinkle with cold water, 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing gently until all the mixture is moistened.
• Form this mixture into a ball. Shape dough into twenty-four 1-inch balls and press onto the bottom and up the sides of ungreased 1 3/4-inch muffin cups.
• In a small bowl beat cream cheese and 3 tablespoons sugar until fluffy. Separate the egg and beat in the egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla.
• Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Top each with about 1/2 tsp of the chocolate chips.
• Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
• With a knife or chopstick, slightly swirl chocolate into mixture just to marble. Return to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes more.
• Cool slightly in pan. Remove and cool on a rack.

TO-DIE-FOR BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Heat currants, maple extract, and 1 tablespoon water in a saucepan over low heat until currants are soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Spray 24 muffin cups or individual tart pans with cooking spray.
• Whisk flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Cut in shortening and cold butter with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until flour mixture is moistened. Do not add more water than you need: when you squeeze a handful of the moistened pastry mixture, it should form a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into balls.
• Roll out one half of dough on a lightly-floured surface. Cut tart shells out of dough with a 3 1/2-inch circular cutter, and press into prepared tins. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover tins; set aside.
• Heat brown sugar, 2/3 cup butter, cream, and vanilla over low heat until smooth, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Whisk a few spoonfuls of the warm butter mixture into beaten eggs, then whisk egg mixture into the butter mixture.
• Divide the currants, along with their liquid, into the bottom of the prepared tart shells. Fill each shell about 3/4-full with butter mixture. Place a pecan half on top of each tart.
• Bake tarts in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. With oven door closed, reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C); continue baking until filling is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; allow to cool for a few minutes before loosening tarts from pan with a knife. Remove tarts to cool completely on a wire rack.