So many of our berries can be used to make excellent dessert sauces as their naturally tart flavor pairs so well with rich sweet desserts. Cranberry-raspberry sauce is one such sauce. It is made with a combination of whole cranberry sauce and fresh or frozen raspberries, along with a bit of sugar and a little lemon or orange zest. Everything is cooked over medium low heat until the sauce thickens with the end result being a glistening red sauce with a sweet and tangy flavor that is especially nice atop these mini cheesecake tarts. It can also be used as a filling for cakes or trifles, or for a quick dessert, it can be poured over a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
Tarts are the epitome of elegance in the world of desserts. They showcase a perfect harmony of flavors, with their flaky or crispy crust and luscious fillings. But one key factor in achieving the ultimate tart is having a crisp, clean edge on the tart shell, which not only elevates the appearance but also enhances the texture. A well-defined edge results in a satisfying contrast between the tender, flaky layers, and the smooth filling.
Since the Christmas season is upon us, I thought of using some ‘tart rings’ to give these little tarts more of an upscale look. Using rings instead of tart pans makes for such a clean look. Being perforated allows for the ring to heat up quicker (along with it being very thin), which allows for better baking. This also allows steam to escape from the crust, which keeps your crust nice and crispy.
Baking is a passion for many because of the immersion between art and science. For me, I’m always in pursuit of another way to make an old idea new again or as they say, ‘the same only different’.
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TARTLETS
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- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 5 1/4 Tbsp (50 gm) cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
- 130 gm (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter, cut in cubes, at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 230 gm cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 348 ml whole cranberry sauce
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen unsweetened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp orange zest OR to taste
- cheddar cheese 'stars' for decoration
Ingredients
Pastry
Cheesecake Filling
Cranberry-Raspberry Topping
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- Combine the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, & vanilla in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with your hands until the butter is broken down into pieces the size of peas and the ingredients are well combined. Add the egg and mix with a spatula until the dough is smooth and the egg is fully incorporated. Don’t overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and gently shape it into a ball. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and flatten it into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight, until cold but still pliable. It should have the texture of clay.
- When the dough has chilled, unwrap the dough and place it on a silicone baking mat on your work surface. Roll it out into a rectangle about 1⁄8 inch thick, using a second silicone sheet on top. The silicone mat makes it easier to lift the rolled-out dough onto the sheet pan later. Make sure to work quickly so the dough doesn’t get too warm.
- Place the silicone mat with the dough on a baking sheet.
- Using the tart rings, cut out 18 circles of dough. Remove the rest of the dough from around the rings.
- Reroll remaining dough between 2 sheets of parchment. Using a sharp knife, slice strips about 10 inches long & 1- inch thick. These strips will make the sides of each tartlet.
- Working with one at a time, transfer a strip of dough to one of the tart rings and press it to the sides. Use your fingers to slightly push the bottom of the sides to the dough circle (to seal it). Repeat with the remaining strips of dough. Use a small knife to cut the edge to the rim of the rings.
- Transfer the baking sheet containing the tartlet shells to the freezer & freeze for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Bake tart rings for 8 minutes or until barely set (crust will complete baking with the filling in). Remove from oven.
- Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth then add sugar & blend well. Add eggs & vanilla, beat until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over warm crust.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is firm & BARELY browned. Set aside to cool.
- In a saucepan, combine whole berry sauce & 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, orange zest & sugar.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens & is bubbly. Remove from heat & let cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Place a dollop of sauce over each tartlet. Decorate & serve chilled.
- I made these tartlets in 3 sizes from 2 3/4-inch to 2-inch.
- If you find the dough is to soft to work with just add a small amount of flour, just enough to make it easier to handle.
- This is a real nice crispy pastry dough. When its baked it would give the impression of being real hard but instead its crisp and so nice to bite into.