Glazed Apple Ricotta Tarts Food

MAPLE-GLAZED BREAKFAST APPLE TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl stir together cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
• Peel, halve, and core apples and cut into 1/4-inch slices. In a bowl toss apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• On a lightly floured surface roll 1 sheet puff pastry into a 15- by 11-inch rectangle. From a long side, cut four 1/3-inch-wide strips. From a short side, cut two 1/3-inch-wide strips. Set pastry strips aside. Halve lengthwise what remains of rectangle and put halves on a baking sheet.
• Just inside pastry rectangles' edges, brush 1/3-inch-wide borders of egg wash, reserving remaining egg wash. Arrange pastry strips on borders so that they are flush with edges of rectangles, trimming strips to fit. Spread cream-cheese mixture inside borders on rectangles and top with apples.
• On a lightly floured surface roll remaining puff-pastry sheet into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle and halve lengthwise. Cut several 2 1/2-inch diagonal slits down middle of each rectangle (do not cut within 1 inch of edges).
• Brush pastry borders of apple-topped tarts with some remaining egg wash and top each with 1 pastry rectangle. Press edges gently but firmly together to seal. Brush remaining egg wash over pastry tops and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake tarts in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
• In a small saucepan simmer maple syrup 10 minutes, or until reduced to about 1/3 cup. Brush hot syrup glaze over warm tarts. Serve tarts warm or at room temperature.

STUFFED APPLES BAKED IN BRANDY, TOPPED WITH SWEET RICOTTA CREAM

Steps:

• Ricotta Cream:.
• In a small bowl add the ricotta cheese, cinnamon, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and liqueur; mix well until well blended and smooth. Refrigerate.
• Baked Apples:.
• Place rack in the center position of oven.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Wash apples well; core. Peel off the skin around the top, leaving two-thirds of the apple unpeeled.
• Hollow out about a 1 1/2-inch wide by 2 1/2-inch deep cavity in the center of each apple (a grapefruit spoon works well for this). Score the apples with the tip of a knife to prevent them from bursting while baking.
• Place the apples in a 9-inch oven-proof glass pie dish.
• Mix together the dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and butter in a small bowl. Blend well.
• Evenly fill the apples with the cranberry/walnut filling.
• Pour the 3/4 cup of apple brandy around the apples. If necessary, add water so that the liquid comes about 1-inch up the sides of the apples.
• Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of apple brandy evenly over the filling in the apples.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the apples are tender.
• Serve warm, topped with a generous dollop of the sweet ricotta cream and a sprinkling of lemon zest.

GLAZED APPLE-RICOTTA TARTS

Steps:

• PASTRY:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F In a food processor, add flour, icing sugar, and salt. Turn to low speed and process until well mixed. Add butter and continue to process until crumbly in texture. Add water and pulse just until mixed and dough holds together when squeezed.
• Add an additional 1/2 teaspoons of water at a time if necessary. Flatten to 1/2 inch disc., wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• FILLING:.
• Meanwhile in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together apples, sugar Calvados, and lemon zest. Cook covered stirring occasionally, until apples are tender ( but not mushy), about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in ricotta.
• ASSEMBLY:.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut 4-inch circles using round cutter. (or alternatively, divide dough into 12 pieces and roll out individually).
• Fit into nonstick muffin cups. refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Fill each muffin cup with 2 tablespoons of apple ricotta filling. For topping, fan apple slices decoratively over top of each tart. Melt jelly in microwave for about 30 seconds, or until pourable, then drizzle 1 teaspoons over each tart.
• Bake in the center of preheated oven until pastry is golden about 20-25 minutes. Cool tarts in pan on wire rack.
• VARIETY TIP: For best results use Spartan, Cortland, Empire or Crispin apples.
• CHEF'S TIP: For extra flavor, drizzle each tart with 1 teaspoons of Calvados while they cool.