Holiday Tarts

Tartelette Ideas & Recipes for the Holidays

With the holidays approaching, most of us are thinking about recipes for upcoming parties and get-togethers. Sure, we have our tried-and-true favorites - our signature dishes that our friends and families have come to love. Even so, it’s always fun to introduce something new.

One item I find extremely versatile to have on hand during the holidays are tartelettes. With so many recipe choices, you can quickly create a wonderful appetizer, side dish, and an endless variety of attractive and tasty desserts. Tartelette shells can be purchased pre-made at most groceries, but store-bought shells are often thin and lacking in flavor. You can also get them at the TwoSisters Gourmet website. Though a little pricier than the grocery store version, the Two Sisters Gourmet tartelettes are much sturdier.

Here are a couple of ideas for using the tartelettes and a few recipes that have become a hit for me.

Appetizer - Glazed Brie Canapes (Very Easy)

  • 4.5 oz. package of brie cheese
  • 15 TSG Tartelettes
  • 1/2 cup TSG Pear Fig Preserves
  • 15 toasted whole almonds or pecan halves, optional

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Cut brie into 8 wedges; cut wedges horizontally in half. Place 1 piece of brie in each Tartelette; top with 1 heaping tsp of the preserves. Place on baking sheet. 2. Bake in 350F oven 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with nuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: This is a TwoSisters Gourmet recipe and calls for TSG products. There may be suitable substitutes, though my only experience with this particular recipe has been using TSG tartelettes and preserves. These tasty appetizers have received lots of raves and are a cinch to make last minute. They are also good if you sugar glaze the nuts.

Side dish ideas:

  • Try baking miniature quiches to accompany a holiday brunch.
  • Use to put a serving of cranberry sauce, fruit compote, or other side that you don’t want mixed in with other food items.
  • Pipe in mashed sweet or white potatoes and add an herb garnish or decorative toothpick with a warm personal message on it.

There are always several dessert choices at most holiday events. Even though everyone is usually beyond full by the time they get to the dessert, still everyone wants to sample a little of each dessert. Make it a little easier on your guests by making some of the desserts miniature by using tartelettes.

Use one or several of your favorite pie filling in the tartelettes and offer your guests one slice of your larger dessert along with a couple of the miniature tartelettes on the side. Try pumpkin pie, pecan pie, coconut cream, eggnog cream, chocolate silk. Any filling will do.

One of my favorite tartelette dessert recipes is the 5-Star White Chocolate recipe found on recipezaar.com. The first time I tried this recipe, I followed the recipe exactly and tried to make my own shell. The shell didn’t come out so nice, so I tried using the tartelettes. They came out beautifully and were a hit.

Here’s the 5-Star White Chocolate recipe:

  • 10 oz. pkg. of white chocolate or vanilla chips
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • assorted fruit
  • Apricot jam

1. Carefully melt the white chocolate or vanilla chips and the cream on the stove on low, stirring constantly, or melt in the microwave. 2. Remove from heat and beat in the cream cheese. 3. Pour some of the mixture into each prepared tartelette and chill for several hours (recipe suggests 3). 4. Layer whatever fruit you choose on top of the tartelette. Get creative and festive with your choice of fruits and arrangement. Maybe kiwi and red berries for Christmas. 5. Microwave apricot jam (about 1/3 cup) just long enough for it to become thin and easy to work with. (You don’t want it so hot that it would wilt fruit.) Spoon or brush some of the jam over the fruit. This will protect the fruit from turning colors before serving and will give the tartelettes a glazed look. This is especially helpful for protecting bananas from browning.

Enjoy. Happy holidays from our seniorhood to yours!