Shortbread Tarts With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Food

SHORTBREAD LEMON TART

Steps:

• Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon juice and orange zest. Whisk in butter until smooth. Set aside. , For crust, pulse first 6 ingredients in a food processor until mixture forms a ball. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. , Pour lemon mixture into crust. Bake until center is almost set, 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and, if desired, fresh raspberries.

CREAM CHEESE-LEMON ZEST FROSTING

Steps:

• In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until combined and airy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
• Sift the powdered sugar onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sifted powdered sugar into the frosting (use both hands to bend the paper so the sugar pours slowly into the bowl).
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. If the frosting seems too soft to spread, allow it to chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

TINY SHORTBREAD TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. , Shape into 1-in. balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. , Bake at 300° for 17-22 minutes or until set. Cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Spoon 1 teaspoon of pie filling into each tart.

SHORTBREAD TARTS WITH CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Tarts:.
• Lightly spray 30 mini muffin tins, set aside.
• Preheat oven 325 degrees f. Place rack in center.
• Cream butter and sugar for about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add flour, cornstarch or rice flour, and salt and mix just until incorporated.
• Roll dough into about 30 balls and place in each muffin tin. With your fingers, press the dough up the sides of the individual muffin tins and to make an indentation in the center.
• Once filled, place the pan with the shells in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. (this will help prevent the shortbread from puffing up).
• Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. About halfway through the baking time, lightly prick each shortbread with tines of a fork to keep them from puffing up.
• Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
• When completely cooled, remove the tarts. They are quite fragile so be careful when removing. (Use a toothpick and loosen the edges to remove).
• Filling:.
• (Making the filling a day ahead will allow the flavors to set in better).
• Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, vanilla and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving. You can make the filling serveral days in advance.
• To serve:.
• Fill the tart shells (spoon or pipe) with filling. The filled tarts can be made serveral hours in advance and refrigerated. Just before serving top with fresh berries or cut up fruit.

CLASSIC LEMON TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. (If you like, you can let the butter cook until it browns and smells nutty, 2 to 4 minutes longer.)
• Whisk together flour, confectioners' sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and, using a spatula, mix until well combined. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, using a measuring cup if you like to flatten the tart shell and make sure it's even. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 months (wrap in plastic if storing for more than 4 hours).
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the crust is very lightly golden at the edges and baked through on the bottom, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool. (Tart shell can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.)
• Make the curd: Put butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, yolks and salt. Whisk the hot mixture gradually into the eggs to temper them. Then pour everything back into the saucepan and return to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (170 degrees; do not overcook, or it will curdle), about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Taste and add a bit more sugar if you like. It should taste tart but balanced.
• Spread the curd (it's OK if it's still warm) into the tart shell, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Return to the oven to bake until the curd is just set along the edges but still jiggly in the center, about 7 to 15 minutes. (It will continue to firm up as it cools.) Transfer back to the wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. If the curd still looks a little loose after cooling, you can chill the tart for an hour or two before serving. Note that it's a soft curd but shouldn't be runny.

SHORTBREAD TARTS WITH LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Shortbread Tarts: Lightly butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, 36 miniature muffin tins (approximately 2 inch (5 cm) in diameter). Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together (approximately two minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract . Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and mix just until incorporated. Divide the dough into 36 even pieces and place one ball of dough in the center of each muffin tin. With your fingertips, press the dough up the sides of the individual muffin tin so there is an indentation in the center. Once filled, place the tart pan, with the unbaked shells, in the freezer for about 10 minutes so the shortbread can become firm. (This will help to prevent the shortbread from puffing up during baking.) Bake for approximately 18 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. About halfway through the baking time, lightly prick the bottom of each shortbread, with the tines of a fork, if they have puffed up. Check again after another five minutes and prick again if needed. Once they are fully baked, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, remove the tarts from the pan. (These may be made in large quantities and frozen.) CREAM CHEESE FILLING: In your food processor or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the condensed milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and process until smooth. Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving time. It is best to make the filling at least a day in advance to give it time to become firm and for all the flavors to mingle.