Goat Cheese Pecan Tartlets Food

GOAT CHEESE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust, put the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Cut 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) of the butter into large dice, add to the bowl, and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, add the ice water all at once and process until the dough becomes crumbly. Don't overprocess. Dump the dough out on a floured board, gather it loosely into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough on a well-floured board and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable sides, rolling the pin over the top to cut off the excess dough. Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil and fit it, butter side down, into the tart pan. Fill the foil with rice or beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and foil from the tart shell, prick the bottom all over with a fork, and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan and saute the shallots over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tender. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cream, eggs, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and process until blended.
• Scatter the cooked shallots over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the shallots to fill the shell (if the shell has shrunk, there may be leftover filling). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tart is firm when shaken and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve hot or at room temperature.

ONION AND GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Take a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter and cut out 12 rounds from 2 sheets of puff pastry. Take a 12 hole mini muffin pan and place rounds of dough into each hole, pressing gently to form a cup and giving room for the filling. Cover with plastic wrap and keep the prepared pan in the refrigerator or freezer (depends how long until you need it).
• In a skillet add butter and oil. Throw in the onions and cook gently until softened and caramelized, stirring frequently for about 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooked add the scallions and chives. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a bowl whisk together the egg, cream, and salt. Add the cooked onions to the custard, stirring thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pastry cups with a spoon. Break up the goat cheese and place on top of tarts. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.

SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a clean surface (cover the other sheets with a damp towel), brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Cover with another phyllo sheet, brush with more butter and sprinkle with another teaspoon parmesan. Top with the remaining phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Cut the phyllo stack into 24 squares, about 3 inches each. Brush a 24-cup mini muffin tin with oil, then firmly press a phyllo square, buttered-side down, into each cup. Bake until golden, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour, then add the milk and stir until the mixture is smooth, 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the goat cheese, lemon zest and vinegar until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and mix in the egg yolks, then the spinach.
• Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the spinach filling. Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling into each phyllo cup and top with the remaining parmesan. Bake until the filling is set, 15 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan; remove and top with the chives.

LEEK & GOAT'S CHEESE TARTLETS

Steps:

• Wash the leeks in a colander but don't worry about drying them as you want a bit of water clinging on. Heat the butter in a wide saucepan until sizzling, then add the wet leeks and thyme leaves plus salt and pepper. Sweat the leeks really gently for 20-25 mins until they have practically melted but not coloured, adding a little more butter if needed. Set aside and allow to cool.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out 4 saucer-size circles and place on a baking sheet. Spread the leeks over the circles leaving a slight border around the edge. Put a slice of goat's cheese in the middle of each tart and top with a thyme sprig. Pinch the pastry edge together to slightly encase the leeks, then bake the tarts for 25 mins until puffed up and golden. Serve hot and drizzled with flavoured oil if you have it.

PANERA GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS WITH CARAMELIZED ONION & FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F
• To caramelize the onions, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
• Add the onions and thyme.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir until the onions are coated.
• Continue cooking, stirring only occasionally, until the onions are a deep amber color.
• Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
• To make the crust, combine bread crumbs, cheese, butter and almonds in a medium bowl of a food processor until combined.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• For the filling, in a seperate bowl, blend the cheeses until smooth.
• Add the zest and the eggs, one at a time, blending until smooth again.
• Then add the heavy cream, blending until smooth.
• Grease mini muffin cups and place in a 24-cup mini muffin pan.
• Press a tablespoon on the crumb mixture evenly into each cup, and then fill two-thirds of the way up with the cheese batter.
• Distribute the caramelized onions evenly atop the filling.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake until the filling has set, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with figs.

PECAN TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy; blend in flour and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin cups. , For filling, in a small bowl, beat the egg. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spoon into tart shells. , Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing from pans. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired.

GOAT'S CHEESE AND CRANBERRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425*F (200*C).
• Lay pastry on floured work surface and cut into 7.
• 5 cm rounds.
• sit the circles on an oiled baking sheet and score a circle about 2.
• 5 cm from the edge of each disc by pressing gently with a 5 cm cutter.
• Pierce the middle with a fork, brush each edge with egg and top with a little cranberry sauce.
• Slice the cheese 5mm thick so that you have a slice per pastry disc.
• (discard end rinds) Lay a slice on each tartlet, then top with thyme leaves, a drizzle of oil and a twist of black pepper.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and the pastry crispy.
• Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm with a garnish of rocket leaves.

GOAT CHEESE PECAN TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the insides of 18 cups in a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll the pie crusts and cut with a 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Line the inside of the muffin pans with the crust circles and refrigerate until ready to fill. The crusts won't go all the way to the top of the cups; this is fine.
• Cook the cranberries: Combine the cranberries, sugar, water, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 8-10 minutes or until cranberries have cooked (some will have burst, some will remain whole) and mixture has thickened. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside to cool.
• Cook the bacon: Meanwhile, place the bacon in a medium skillet with 1/4 cup water. Bring the water to a simmer and cook the bacon over medium heat until water completely evaporates and the bacon gets crispy, 8-10 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Crumble and set aside.
• Make the tartlet filling: While the bacon is cooking, combine eggs, goat cheese, heavy cream, milk, pinch kosher salt, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce in a blender container. Blend on the lowest setting until just smooth. Sprinkle a little less than a teaspoon of pecans and evenly divide the bacon inside each cup in the muffin pan. This will create wonderful flavor and texture. Fill each cup to about 1/4 inch below the top of the crust with the goat cheese mix and carefully place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake until the filling sets, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Place a cookie sheet over the top of the pan and invert. Shake gently to loosen the tartlets; they should fall onto the pan.
• Serve the tartlets: Arrange the tartlets on a serving platter, cheese side up. Strain any excess liquid out of the cranberries and spoon a scant tablespoon of the berries on top of the tarts. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans. Use a pair of scissors to "cut" chives and place them on top, if desired. Serve immediately.