COOKIE CRUST FRUIT TART
A colorful presentation.
1 roll SLICE-&-BAKE SUGAR COOKIES, page 60, thawed
Cream-Cheese Filling, below
Fruit Glaze, below
2 to 3 cups fresh or canned fruits, drained (berries, kiwi, bananas, etc.)
Cream-Cheese Filling
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit Glaze
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Press thawed dough into a 12-inch quiche pan with removable bottom or pizza pan to 1/4-inch thickness. Make rim around edge of cookie. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until edges brown. Cool. Prepare Cream-Cheese Filling. Spread on top to within 1/2 inch of edge. Prepare Fruit Glaze; set aside. Top filling with concentric circles of assorted fruits. Brush fruit with Fruit Glaze. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Makes 8 to 12 servings.
Cream-Cheese Filling
In a small bowl, mix all ingredients until smooth.
Fruit Glaze
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and boil 1 minute. Cool.
MINI FRUIT TARTS
Eye-appealing tarts make a wonderful addition to any buffet table. Attractively fill and decorate with any fruit in season or a variety of canned pie fillings.
2 pkgs. CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX, page 50, thawed
3 cups fresh fruit in season (kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, green or red grapes, bananas, nectarines or peaches. Canned fruits such as mandarin oranges can be added.)
Fruit Glaze, page 306
Variation
Cream-Cheese Fruit Tarts—In a small bowl combine 2 (3-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese and 2 tablespoons sugar until smooth. Stir in 1 (6-oz.) container fruit-flavored yogurt. Put a spoonful of filling into each shell before adding fruit and brushing with glaze.
Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Divide CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX into about 40 pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball in a mini-muffin cup. With your thumb, press dough over bottom and sides of each cup, keeping dough an even thickness. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Cut fresh fruit into various shapes—fans, slices, or wedges, as desired.
Prepare Fruit Glaze. Cool. Arrange fruits in decorative designs in each tart shell. You can mix fruits or keep them all the same. Brush with glaze to prevent darkening or drying. Chill until ready to serve. Makes about 40 tarts.
CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY
For a change of pace try this rich tasting pastry.
CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX, page 50, thawed
To make tart shells: Thaw two packages CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX. Divide each package into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Place each ball in a muffin cup. Use your thumbs to press dough over bottom and sides, keeping dough at an even thickness. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and remove. Fill as desired.
To make a single pie crust or baked pie shell: Thaw 1 package CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX. On a floured pastry cloth or between pieces of floured plastic wrap, roll out dough to an 1 1-inch circle. Dough will be quite thin. Remove plastic wrap. Fit dough into an 8- or 9-inch pie pan without stretching. Trim and flute edge. For baked shell, prick bottom and sides with fork tines; bake as for tart shells at left. Or add filling and bake according to filling directions.
To make double-crust pie: Completely thaw 2 packages CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX. Prepare 1 ball of dough according to directions above; do not prick crust or flute edges. Turn filling into shell. Roll out top crust. Place over filling. Press edges together; flute pressed edges. Cut small slits in top crust to let steam escape. Bake accord i ng to directions for filling.
FREEZER PIE CRUST
Minimal handling of the dough ensures great results.
FREEZER PIE-CRUST MIX, page 51, thawed
To make tart shells: Thaw two packages FREEZER PIE-CRUST MIX. Divide each package into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Place each ball in a muffin cup. Use your thumbs to press dough over bottom and sides, keeping dough at an even thickness. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and remove. Fill as desired.
To make a single pie crust or baked pie shell: Thaw 1 package FREEZER PIE-CRUST MIX. On a floured pastry cloth or between two pieces of floured plastic wrap or wax paper, roll dough to an 1 1-inch circle. Dough will be thin. Remove plastic wrap. Fit dough into an 8- or 9-inch pie pan without stretching. Trim and flute edge. For shell, prick bottom and sides with fork tines. Bake as for tart shells at left. Or add filling and bake according to filling directions.
To make double-crust pie: Thaw two packages FREEZER PIE-CRUST MIX. Prepare as directed above; do not prick or flute edge. Place filling in shell. Roll out top crust and place over filling. Press edges together and flute or crimp. Cut slits in top crust to let steam escape. Bake according to directions for filling.
1. Roll dough between 2 sheets of floured wax paper.
2. Do not strech pie dough. Place top crust over filling and flute edges.
SOUR CREAM & ORANGE PIE
This meringue will not stick to your fork.
Single Freezer Pie Crust, baked, page 309
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup dairy sour cream
Mile-High Meringue, below
Mile-High Meringue
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon orange juice
1/2 cup water
3 egg whites, room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
Prepare pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate; set aside to cool. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth and slightly thickened; set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks. Beating vigorously, add about half of hot mixture. Slowly
