Nut Tarts Recipes

CARAMEL NUT TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in cream cheese and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Roll out dough into a 10-in. circle. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom; trim edges., Line unpricked crust with a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 400°., For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread into crust. , Place tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake until bubbly, for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

CARAMEL NUT TART

Steps:

• Make the tart dough: Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the cut up pieces of butter and use a pastry cutter to cut into the flour mixture until the butter pieces are no bigger than a pea. (You can use a food processor for this if you want.) Sprinkle with vanilla and add 3 tablespoons of ice water. Use a fork to work the water and vanilla into the dough. (You can use a food processor.) Add up to a tablespoon more of ice water, just enough so that the dough easily sticks together when you pinch it with your fingers. Form the dough into a ball, kneading once or twice if necessary, and flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough disk in plastic and chill for 1 hour.
• Pre-bake the crust: Bake the crust at 375°F for 20 minutes, piercing the bottom with fork if bubbles form. Transfer to a rack to cool.

TINY PECAN TARTS

Steps:

• To Make Pastry: Cream butter or margarine and cream cheese. Add flour and mix well. Make into 48 balls; place one ball in each cup of a mini tart pan. Use your fingers or a tart tamper to press out into a tart shell.
• To Make Filling: Break the eggs, but do not beat. Add sugar, melted butter, salt, vanilla and pecans. Mix well. Fill the tart shells. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until delicately browned.

NUT COOKIE TARTLETS

Steps:

• To make Pastry: Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add the 6 tablespoons white sugar, 2 cups flour and blend well.
• Shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter (flour palms of hands to facilitate rolling). Place ball in greased tartlet pan and flatten. Should fill pan by 3/4.
• To Make Filling: Mix together vanilla, egg, brown sugar, and chopped nuts.
• After flattening ball in tartlet tin make a thumb print in center and fill with a full 1/2 teaspoon of nut filling.
• Bake in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 17 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan.

CRANBERRY NUT TARTS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the flour until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• While the dough chills, make the filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Press the balls into the cups of mini muffin pans so that the dough covers the bottom and sides. Fill each one with a generous teaspoon of the filling.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges of the tarts are lightly browned.

BERRY NUT TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy; gradually add flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle. , Cut dough into 12 portions. Press onto the bottom and all the way up the sides of greased muffin cups. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the cranberries and pecans. Spoon into prepared crusts., Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in the refrigerator.

NUT TARTS

Steps:

• Make shells by mixing the butter, cream cheese and flour until dough is formed. (You can either mix by hand or use a food processer). Roll dough into balls, approximately 1", and press into ungreased mini muffin tins. Be sure to bring dough up sides of each muffin cup or filling will stick to pan.
• Make filling by mixing the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and walnuts. Place 1 Tbs. of filling into each muffin cup.
• Bake at 375F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove tarts and cool completely on wire rack. Dust with powered sugar before serving.

ORANGE-CRANBERRY NUT TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg until blended. Beat in orange zest, orange juice and milk. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Divide dough into 3 portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each into a 10-in.-long roll. Wrap securely; refrigerate overnight or until firm., For filling, in a small saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, sugar and orange juice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in walnuts., Preheat oven to 375°. Unwrap each portion of dough and cut crosswise into 16 slices. Press onto bottoms and up the sides of greased mini-muffin cups. Fill each with 2 teaspoons cranberry mixture., Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle with melted white chocolate; let stand until set.