Tiny Tarts

[FreyaUSA]

This is a basic tart recipe that I made using gluten-free flour and it came out perfect! This recipe makes 24 1-3/4-inch tart shells (the mini muffin size.) You can put any pie filling in these that you want, I'll add a couple that I've used.

Tart Shells

1/2 c softened butter or margarine

3 ozs softened cream cheese

1 c gluten-free flour mix (I used Bette Hagman's recipe: 2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato flour and 1/3 part tapioca flour)

Beat butter and cream cheese till well mixed. Stir in flour. Put in a large piece of waxed paper, make a ball, put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least an hour (till easy to handle.)

Shape into 24 1-inch balls. **Press into bottom and up sides of ungreased 1-3/4 inch muffin cups.** Fill with filling of choice. Bake in 325 oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till done. Cool slightly in pan. (I wait till they "spin" slightly, move without crumbling, then use a sharp knife to gently lift out.)

**Here's the real trick with these things. There is a little gadget that looks like a small wooden dumbell with slightly rounded nobs on each end. With this thing, you just dip the end in a little flour and gently squash and shape the balls in the muffin cups. Takes just a minute or two to do all 24. Almost as fast as drop cookies!**

To double the recipe use:

1 c softened butter or margarine

8 oz pkg softened cream cheese

2-1/4 cups gluten-free flour mixture

This worked out great.

Fillings:

My favorite is Pecan Pie. I make a regular pie recipe (half, actually) but use 3/4 the amount of pecans, coarsely ground up, and 1/4 cranberries, coarsely chopped. (You can use your own pecan pie recipe, just make certain to coarsely chop/grind the pecans.) Bake as directed.

My kids' favorite is Pumpkin Pie. You can use your own recipe or here's one I like from an old Better Homes and Gardens magazine (this makes just enough for the 24 tart shells): Beat together 1 egg, 1/2 c canned pumpkin, 1/3 c sugar, 1/4 c sour cream, 1 Tbs milk and 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Bake as directed.

Here's a Brownie-Nut recipe from the same magazine as above, but I have yet to try it (I'm including it because it sounds delicious!): Heat and stir 1/2 c semi-sweet chips and 2 Tbs butter or margarine over low heat till melted (I'd use a microwave ) Remove from heat. Stir in 1/3 c sugar, 1 beaten egg, and 1 tsp vanilla. Place a whole filbert (hazelnut) or peanut in each tart. Top with 1 tsp chocolate mixture. Bake as directed.