Blue Cheese Puff Pastry Tarts Food

BLUE CHEESE PUFF PASTRY TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 Degrees C (390 F).
• Remove the pastry from the freezer shortly before preparing the filling.(Don't remove it too early or it will be difficult to cut neatly. The pastry will have a better texture if it is still chilled when placed in the oven.)
• Grease the patty pan tin (or muffin tin if using) well - see Note 4.
• Add the blue cheese, cream, egg, chives and freshly ground black pepper to the bowl of a food processor and blend until thoroughly mixed.
• When the pastry has just defrosted, using a 6 cm (2 ¼ inch) cookie cutter for patty pan tins or 7 ½ cm (3 inch) cutter for muffin tins, cut rounds of pastry and put into prepared muffin tin/patty pans, gently pushing the pastry down into place.You will cut 12 rounds for the patty pan or 9 for the muffin tin.
• Evenly distribute the filling between the pastry cases. This is about 1 tablespoon (4 teaspoons) for the patty pans and 1 ½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) for the muffin tins.
• Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes in the patty pans or 12 - 15 in the muffin tins. The time will vary depending on the heat of your oven but bake until the filling puffs and becomes golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool and store - or serve warm immediately.
• If making them in advance, reheat in a pre-heated 180 degrees C (350 F) oven for 5 - 7 minutes.

PUFF PASTRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with nonstick cooking spray.;
• Sprinkle the cutting board with flour. Roll-out the creases.;
• Unfold the pastry onto parchment paper. Using a fork, pierce a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the puff pastry. Prick the center of the pastry as well, about 10 times all over.
• Arrange the fruit, nuts, and cheese on top of the pastry in a uniform manner, avoiding the border. Brush the fruit with the melted butter and top with the cinnamon and sugar. Bake 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and beginning to puff.
• If desired, brush the honey over the fruit and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Puff Pastry Variations:
• Apricot Plum Tart: Cut 2 plums and apricots into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange on top of puff pastry and brush with melted apricot preserves rather than honey.
• Rhubarb Tart: Thinly slice 8-ounces rhubarb stalks on the diagonal and marinate in 1 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup sugar for 10 minutes. Strain the rhubarb, reserving the juices. Arrange the rhubarb slices on top of the puff pastry. Sprinkle with white sugar. While the pastry bakes, reduce the rhubarb juices until it becomes a syrupy glaze. When the pastry finishes, brush the pastry with the glaze.
• Pear, Pecan and Blue Cheese Tart: Slice 3 cups Bartlett pears and place on the puff pastry. Top with 1/2 cup chopped pecans. After brushing on the honey, top with 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400.
• On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a circle a scant ¼-inch thick and about 10 ½ inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch tart pan. Pat into the bottom and sides and trim the edge so it's even with the rim. Freeze for 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, using a fork, crumble the cheese and mash together with the milk, starting with ½ tablespoon, until the consistency is spreadable but still has some lumps. May need up to 2 Tablespoons. Set aside.
• Slice tomatoes about ¼-inch thick. Blot with paper towels to remove most of juices; set aside.
• Remove pastry from freezer. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 15 minutes.
• Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the pastry. Cover with the tomato slices in a tightly packed single layer. Sprinkle with the pepper and thyme and drizzle with the olive oil.
• Bake until the crust is deeper golden brown and the tomatoes have collapsed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let stand for 20-30 minutes before serving.
• To serve, gently slide a knife around the edges, then remove the bottom and place the tart on a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or room temperature.

FRENCH ONION AND BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Start by cooking the onions. They need to be cooked slowly on low heat, so it's best to begin with those.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick frying pan-we have a load of onions to cook. When the butter has melted, pick off the thyme leaves and add, then add the garlic and onions. Mix everything together.
• Now add the pepper, salt, and sugar and mix. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you have onions that look like the kind you would only eat with a burger in a Sunday market at 6 a.m.!
• While that cooks, start on the pastry. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper or use the paper the pastry comes in and roll out the pastry onto the sheet.
• Using a knife, score a smaller rectangle ½ inch/1cm inside the pastry rectangle, making sure not to cut all the way through. Pierce the inner rectangle with a fork all over to allow the steam to escape when it bakes.
• Brush the edges with the egg and bake for 20 minutes, until golden all over.
• Take out and, using the back of a spoon, push down all the puffed-up pastry of the inner rectangle, creating a nice neat border.
• Take the blue cheese and crumble all over the inner rectangle of the pastry. Add the onions and scatter them all over till you have an even layer. Now bake for 15 minutes.
• Take out and let cool for 10 minutes before eating, sprinkled with the chives.