Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Sweet Cheese Tarts.
1. Info for Sweet Cheese Tarts
- Cook Time: 2 hr
- Total Time: 2 hr
- Servings: 24
- Calories: 142.43 kcal
2. Ingredients for Sweet Cheese Tarts
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (15 g)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (32 g, for filling)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 large egg (57 g, for filling)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (for filling)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 g)
- 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (56 g)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (22 g)
- 2/3 cup cream cheese (120 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 g, for filling)
- 1/2 cup milk (118 mL)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (140 g, room temperature, for crust)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (64 g, for crust)
- 1 egg yolk (18 g, for crust)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (3 g, for crust)
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (210 g)
- 1 egg yolk (18 g, for egg wash)
3. Directions:
- SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: KitchenAid® Artisan Stand Mixer with pastry beater attachment; mini tart pan; pastry brush
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, powdered sugar, water, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside.
- Place the mascarpone cheese, parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt, butter, and milk in the saucepan and turn to medium heat. Whisk the mixture as it all melts together. Once all the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth (about 3 minutes), remove 5 tablespoons of the hot mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk each tablespoon into the milk mixture to temper it. Then, add the tempered milk mixture into the pan with the remaining cheese mixture, whisking constantly as you pour. Continue to cook and whisk until the mixture thickens into custard consistency and the whisk leaves indentations. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour the mixture into a shallow dish. Butter the center of a piece of plastic wrap slightly larger than the bowl, and place the buttered side down on top of the cheese custard. (This will prevent a crust from forming on top of the filling.) Chill the custard in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or until cool to the touch.
- While the filling is cooling, make the tart shells. Place the butter and powdered sugar into the work bowl of the KitchenAid® Artisan stand mixer fitted with the pastry beater. Turn the mixer to speed 2 for ten seconds, then increase the speed to 4 until the butter mixture turns to a thick paste. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a pastry spatula, then add the egg yolk and vanilla. Return the mixer to speed 4 and mix for 30 seconds.
- Turn the mixer to stir, add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing to just incorporate. Remove the work bowl from the mixer and use your hands to knead/squeeze the dough together into a smooth disk.
- Lightly flour the countertop. Divide the dough into the number of tart cavities you have and roll each piece into a ball. Place a ball into each cavity, and then press the dough to form it to the cavity. (NOTE: the rounded end of a kitchen tool can be used as a press for the dough into the tart shell shape.) Fork each tart bottom several times (to prevent bubbling), then place the prepared pan into the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes before baking.
- While dough is chilling, place the rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat oven to 375°F/190°C. Bake the shells in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until barely golden brown. Remove the pan and set on a wire rack to cool completely before filling. Do not remove the crusts from the pan.
- Assemble and bake the tarts. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F/218°C. Spoon the cooled cheese custard into each tart shell, allowing just a bit of a mound on top. Use a pastry brush to gently brush the tops of the cheese custard with egg yolk.
- Bake the tarts for 7 minutes, then turn the oven to broil and allow the tarts to broil just unil little brown spots appear on the top of the custard. (NOTE: watch carefully!) Allow the tarts to cool in the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cook completely before serving.
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