Recipe: Basic Tart Dough

Hi Sara...sorry it took me so long to get these posted. Hope you and others will enjoy them as much as we do. If I receive any new fillings, I'll be sure to update them thru Betsy's message board.
Enjoy!
Sandy G.
Basic Tart Dough
2 sticks oleo or butter, softened
6-ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
Combine all ingredients and mix well until a nice pliable dough. Make into small balls, about the size of walnuts and place in miniature tart pans. Press out into cups using fingers or a tart tamper. Fill with desired fillings, and bake as recipe directs. These can be baked unfilled also, and freeze well.
Makes about 48, depending on size of balls you make

Pecan Filling
4 eggs
3 cups light brown sugar
4 tbsp. melted oleo or butter
Dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Break eggs; do not beat. Add sugar, melted oleo, salt, vanilla and nuts. Mix well. Fill tart shells and bake at 350 F. 20-30 minutes until a delicate brown.
Makes 48

Rocky Road Filling
Prebake tart shells at 325 F. for 20-22 minutes or until done; cool slightly in pans.
Meanwhile, for filling, in a small heavy saucepan melt 1 (8-oz.) milk chocolate candy bar over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup miniature marshmallows and 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds. Quickly fill each tart shell with one rounded teaspoon of filling. Chill until center is firm. Remove from pans and let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.
Makes 24


Lemon-Coconut Filling
Divide 1/4 cup flaked coconut among 24 unbaked tart shells.
In a small bowl, combine 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Spoon mixture over coconut and bake at 325 F. for about 20-30 minutes until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Cool slightly and remove from pans.
Makes 24

Spiced Fruit Filling
Use 24 unbaked miniature tart shells.
In a small saucepan combine 1 1/2 cups chopped mixed dried fruit and 1 1/2 cups apple juice or water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 8 minutes or until fruit is very tender. Drain. Stir in 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 1 tsp. ground nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. ground cloves. Spoon mixture into pastry shells. Bake at 325 F. for 20-30 minutes, until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Cool.
Makes 24

Pumpkin Filling
Use 24 unbaked miniature tart shells.
1 egg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Combine and mix well. Fill unbaked tart shells, using a rounded teaspoonful of pumpkin mixture. Bake at 325 F. for about 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Cool slightly in pans. Remove tarts from pans and cool on wire racks.
Makes 24

Chocolate-Almond Filling
Use 12 unbaked miniature tart shells.
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini morsels
1/2 tsp. amaretto
Combine sugar and egg in a bowl. Add almonds, mini-morsels, and amaretto; stir well. Spoon 1 tbsp. mixture into each tart shell. Bake at 350 F. for 20-25 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.
Makes 12

Lemon Tassies
20 unbaked miniature tart shells
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine sugar and next 3 ingredients; stir well. Spoon mixture evenly into tart shells. Bake at 350 F. for 40 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on racks. Garnish with whipped cream, and a lemon twist, if desired. Chill.
Makes 20 tarts

Cherry Creme Filling
48 baked miniature tart shells
Prepare 2 cups Dream Whip topping mix according to directions on box and refrigerate. Beat 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened with 1 cup powdered sugar; add whipped topping and beat until smooth and creamy. Spoon the filling into baked tart shells. Top with 1/2 maraschino cherry and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Chill or can be frozen.
For a variation: You can also fold a can of fruit pie filling (such as cherry, blueberry or pineapple) into the whipped topping, instead of adding a cherry. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or coconut.
Makes 48 tarts

Kahlua Caramel Tarts
48 baked miniature tart shells
Melt in a double boiler:
14-ounce bag of caramels
3 tbsp. Kahlua or rum (optional)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Fill tart shells.
Frosting:
1/4 cup Crisco
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/3 cup evaporated milk
Beat until fluffy. Frost cooled tarts.
Makes 48 tarts
Note: For plain caramel tarts, omit Kahlua or rum.
Miniature Cherry Cheesecakes
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Vanilla wafers or crumbs (some brands of vanilla wafers will fit tart pans perfectly)
Pie filling for topping (your choice)
Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until creamy. Line miniature tart pans with mini paper liners and fit one vanilla wafer (or vanilla wafer crumbs mixed with alittle melted butter to hold mixture together) into each tart liner. Fill cups with cheese mixture. Bake at 350 F. for 15 minutes or until puffed. Cool. Top with 1 tsp. of assorted pie fillings.

Chocolate-Raspberry Gems
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift first 4 ingredients into a mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add eggs, and vanilla. Mix to form a dough. Cover and chill for about 1 hour. Divide dough into 4 parts. Divide each part into 16 walnut-sized balls and place in miniature tart pans with paper liners. Press dough to form a cup. Fill each cup with about 1 scant teaspoon of raspberry pie filling. Bake in preheated 350 F. oven for 12-15 minutes.
Immediately upon removing from oven, place a chocolate disc on top of each tart. It will melt and cover tops of cookies. If necessary, spread chocolate alittle to cover, giving it a little swirl effect. After the chocolate sets, remove cookies to a wire rack to cool and leave in liners. These freeze nicely. You can use white or dark chocolate candy disc, or squares of milk chocolate candy bars.
Makes about 45 gems

Mincemeat Tarts
Use 48 unbaked tart shells
Spoon prepared mincemeat into each tart shell and bake at 350 F. for 12-15 minutes or until lightly brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar while still warm. Remove from pans.
Serve warm.
Makes 24

Peanut Butter Temptations
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
48 miniature Reeses peanut butter cups
Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars; add egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Stir in dry ingredients until blended. Roll dough into 1" balls. Press into miniature tart pan cups and bake at 350 F. for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press one mini peanut butter cup into each hot cookie crust. Allow to cool.
Makes 4 dozen