This bite-sized appetizer has three easy, make-ahead components that are assembled just before serving. Try this sweet and salty combination for a special brunch hors d'oeuvre. Or serve them as finger foods at an informal get-together.
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
About 1 hour
Serves:
8
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Dough
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces cream cheese
Maple-Glazed Bacon
4 bacon slices, preferably maple cured
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
Freshly ground black pepper
Caramelized Onions
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll's Blackberries, cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons fresh sage, thinly sliced
Cream Cheese Dough
1
PLACE 1 cup all purpose flour into a food processor.
2
ADD 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3
PULSE to combine.
4
ADD 7 tablespoons unsalted butter.
5
ADD 3 ounces cream cheese.
6
PULSE about 10 times until mixture begins to clump together.
7
FORM dough into a disk and WRAP in plastic wrap.
8
REFRIGERATE dough until chilled and easy to handle, about 2 hours.
9
POSITION oven rack in center of oven.
10
PREHEAT oven to 400°F.
11
BUTTER or COAT with cooking spray the wells of 2 miniature muffin pans.
12
DIVIDE dough into 24 equal sized balls.
13
PLACE 1 dough ball into each well.
14
PRESS dough balls into bottoms and up sides of wells. (A wooden tart tamper can help the job go quickly.)
15
PIERCE bottoms of tart shells with a fork.
16
CHILL 5 minutes in freezer.
17
BAKE 10 – 12 minutes or until shells are golden brown.
18
ALLOW shells to cool in pans 5 minutes.
19
REMOVE shells from pans and ALLOW to cool completely. (Pastry shells can be stored in a covered container for up to 1 day.)
Maple-Glazed Bacon
1
PREHEAT oven to 400°F.
2
COVER a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3
ARRANGE 4 bacon slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
4
BAKE 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp.
5
POUR OFF fat from baking sheet.
6
BRUSH half of 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup over bacon strips.
7
BAKE about 2 ½ minutes until glazed.
8
FLIP bacon slices and BRUSH with remaining maple syrup.
9
GRIND black pepper over bacon slices.
10
BAKE about 2 minutes until glazed.
11
TRANSFER bacon slices to cutting board and ALLOW to cool until safe to handle.
12
CUT each bacon strip crosswise into six pieces. (Bacon can be held at room temperature for 2 hours.)
Caramelized Onions
1
POUR 2 tablespoons canola oil into a large non-stick skillet.
2
ADD 2 chopped medium yellow onions.
3
COOK over medium-high about 5 minutes until softened and STIR occasionally.
4
REDUCE heat to medium-low and COOK 30 – 45 minutes until dark brown and STIR occasionally.
5
SEASON with salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Onions can be prepared 4 hours before serving)
Assembly
1
SPOON caramelized onions into each tart shell.
2
GARNISH each tartlet with 2 – 3 blackberry pieces.
3
PLACE 1 piece maple glazed bacon on its side between berries.
4
PLACE 1 piece sliced sage next to bacon pieces.
5
SERVE immediately.
