Baked Cheese Tarts
Baked cheese tarts are delicate mini pastries featuring a buttery, crumbly shell filled with a rich, creamy cheese filling. Combining cream cheese and Parmesan, these tarts balance savory and slightly sweet flavors for an elegant, delicious treat perfect for parties or snacks.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes (including chilling)
- Cook Time: 35-45 minutes (shells + filling)
- Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 mini tarts
- Category: Dessert, Snack, Pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western, Fusion
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the mini tart shells:
90 g (¾ cup) icing sugar
230 g (2 cups) pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
30 g (⅓ cup) almond flour
Pinch of salt
110 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into chunks
50 g egg (about 1 egg)
For the cheese filling:
230 g (1 cup) cream cheese, full-fat
50 g (½ cup) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
45 g (⅕ cup) unsalted butter
50 g (⅕ cup) whole milk
50 g (⅕ cup) heavy cream
45 g (⅓ cup) icing sugar
2 egg yolks
15 g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
Instructions
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Sift icing sugar, pastry flour, almond flour, and salt. Rub in cold butter until crumbly.
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Add egg and mix until dough forms; don’t overwork. Chill 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to 3 mm thickness; cut rounds and press into tart molds. Prick bases; chill 10 minutes.
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Bake shells 15-20 minutes until lightly golden; cool.
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Melt cream cheese, Parmesan, and butter over low heat until smooth; remove from heat.
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Whisk milk, cream, icing sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.
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Stir milk mixture into cheese mixture.
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Fill tart shells about ¾ full with filling.
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Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes until filling is set but slightly jiggly.
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Cool before removing from molds; serve chilled or room temperature.
Notes
Substitute Parmesan with Gruyère or cheddar for varied flavors.
Add fresh herbs or caramelized onions for savory twists.
Use gluten-free flours to make crust gluten-free.
Drizzle honey or fruit compote for sweetness.
Bake tart shells in advance to save time.
Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/baked-cheese-tarts/
