Apricot Cream Cheese Tartlets In Macadamia Crust Food

APRICOT AND CREAM CHEESE PASTRY

Steps:

• Line a baking tray with baking paper - See Note 6Remove the pastry from the freezer and defrost - See Note 7Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (400 F).
• Drain the canned apricots through a sieve. Then place on some kitchen towel, cut side down, to remove as much moisture as possible and avoid making your pastries soggy.
• Combine cream cheese, vanilla and icing/confectioners' sugar and mix well.
• Cut the puff pastry into eight 10 cm/4" squares.
• To make the shape that I have used, fold the square loosely in half diagonally to form a triangle. - See Note 8.
• To shape the pastry, use a very sharp knife and make two cuts along the outside edge of the triangle, about ½ " wide, but not cutting right through to the tip of the triangle.
• Open the triangle and gently lift the right-hand strip of pastry over to the left, placing it on the square of pastry.Place pastry on baking tray to shape and top. (It is difficult to move once assembled).
• Repeat with the left-hand strip, taking it to the right-hand side. The pastry creates a frame around the filling.
• Divide the cream cheese mixture between the pastry shapes.
• Place an apricot half on top of the cream cheese.
• Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with a teaspoon of demerara sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry becomes golden-brown.
• Meanwhile, add the jam to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, adding a teaspoon of water if necessary to thin it a little. If there are large pieces of jam it will be best to push the jam through a sieve. If not, brush each apricot with some of the jam to give them a nice shine.
• Allow the pastries to cool for a few minutes before serving. However, if not serving immediately, store the cold pastries in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two or freezer if keeping longer. Re-heat for a few minutes before serving.

MACADAMIA NUT CRUST

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the nuts, panko, sugar, flour, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 or 10-inch cake, pie, or springform pan as a crust for a cheesecake or cream pie. Bake according to instructions for cheesecake or pie. If baking for a precooked pie filling, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

APRICOT-CREAM CHEESE TARTLETS IN MACADAMIA CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend nuts, 6 tablespoons sugar and flour in processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter. Process until mixture begins to clump together, divide equally among four 4-inch-diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of pans. Bake until crusts are golden and set, about 13 minutes. Transfer pans to racks; cool completely.
• Combine wine, water and 1/3 cup sugar in large nonstick skillet. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until liquid is slightly thickened and reduced to generous 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Cool syrup to room temperature.
• Combine cream cheese, preserves and 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup in processor; purée until smooth. Spoon filling into crusts; smooth tops. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep tartlets chilled. Cover syrup and let stand at room temperature.)
• Transfer 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup into small bowl. Add apricots to syrup in skillet; toss gently to coat. Arrange apricot slices decoratively atop filling in crusts. Brush apricot slices with reserved 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup. Refrigerate tartlets 30 minutes. Serve chilled.

FRESH FRUIT TARTLETS

Steps:

• Line tartlet tins with the pastry (use boat-shaped tins if you have them). Bake blind in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. When cold, brush the inside of the tartlet cases with the melted chocolate and leave to harden.
• Mix together the cream cheese and double cream until very smooth, then add the sugar and vanilla essence. Fill the tartlet cases with the cream mixture and arrange the fruit on top. Brush with the apricot or red currant glaze, depending on the fruit used, and leave to set.
• Sift the flour and salt together and rub in the butter and lard until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the cheese, if using, and bind with a little cold water. Chill for 30 minutes and then roll out and use as above.

APRICOT AND CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Let cream cheese soften.
• In small mixing bowl, mix preserves, mustard and horseradish together.
• Pour mixture over cream cheese. Spread on your favorite crackers or rye sticks.

APRICOT, ALMOND & CREAM CHEESE CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Blend almond paste and 3T sugar in food processor until finely chopped.
• Add cream cheese, egg yolk, and vanilla.
• Blend until smooth.
• Unroll pie crust on heavy rimmed baking sheet.
• Spread filling over crust, leaving 1 1/2 inch plain border.
• Arrange apricot quarters, rounded side down, in a spoke pattern in 2 concentric circles atop filling.
• Fold dough border up over the edge of filling.
• Brush exposed apricots with warm jam.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar.
• Bake crostata until crust is golden brown and apricots are tender and slightly browned about 43 minutes.
• Sprinkle with crushed Amaretti cookies.
• Cool 30 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

APRICOT-ALMOND TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and water; stir until dough forms a ball. Roll into twenty-four 1-in. balls. Press onto the bottoms and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups., In a small bowl, beat almond paste and butter until blended; beat in egg white and almond extract. Spoon into tart shells, about 2 teaspoons in each., Bake at 350° until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Top with apricot preserves.

CHERRY-APRICOT CREAM CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles very coarse meal. Add yolk and process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Make filling:
• Beat cream cheese and orange peel in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar, yolks, cornstarch and flour in small bowl until smooth. Bring milk to simmer in saucepan. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture; return to same pan. Whisk over low heat until custard thickens and boils. Cool custard 15 minutes. Beat barely warm custard into cream cheese mixture. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of filling; chill until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough gently into place; trim excess dough. Freeze 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust 10 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake crust until golden, piercing with fork if bottom bubbles, about 5 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack.
• Spread cream cheese filling over crust. Arrange cherries, cut side down, in 2 concentric circles around edge of tart. Arrange apricots in middle of tart, overlapping slightly. Place any remaining cherries in center. Stir preserves in saucepan over low heat until beginning to melt. Strain into small bowl. Brush enough preserves over fruit to glaze. Serve immediately or chill up to 6 hours.

APRICOT CREAM CHEESE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Prepare 9x11 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Next mix rolled oats with margarine, flour, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar, using your hands. Mixture should be loose but not dry. You should be able to make a ball and have it stick without it falling apart. Press half of this mixture into the bottom of the pan. Set side the other half for topping.
• Now mix together apricots, water, white sugar, and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Place in saucepan on the stove on medum-high for 30 minutes until the apricots are soft and mushy.
• Next mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla in small mixing bowl. Mix it well. Pour it over the base.
• Pour the apricot mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Finally, crumble remaining oat mixture on top.
• Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

APRICOT CHEESE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
• Pour boiling water over apricot pieces in a small bowl. Cool.
• In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and dates.
• In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Stir in cooled apricots and water. Pour in flour mixture, and stir until moistened. Turn batter into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until it tests done. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pan to rack. Cool.