CHEESE THUMBPRINT MINI TARTS

Thumbprint tarts cooling on the rack before sampling starts.

About 15 years ago a friend gave me this recipe for cheese thumbprint mini tarts. It first appeared in one of my blogs in 2009. Over the years I have made these tarts but usually only around December. It is a recipe you can make year round. Today I made a double batch which I will freeze and use when company comes over or when I want to bring some appetizers over to a friend's home. 

In making a double batch, I didn't double the ingredients but made two batches. Based on doubling the ingredients one time when I did double the recipe, I thought it was too much batter to mix up at one time and didn't get the consistency I wanted. In previous years I would have used a hand grater to grate the cheese. Today I thought I would be smarter and use a mini food chopper to shred the cheese. Using a mini chopper made it so much easier. I used old cheddar cheese as it gives a sharper taste. Making a double batch, I baked 108 tarts.

These thumbprint tarts are always popular and making them in advance and freezing them is a good way to pace yourself during the holidays.

Added the shredded cheese to the softened butter.

Wrapped and ready to harden in the freezer for 20 minutes.

These are the mini muffin/tart pans I use.

Adding the pepper jelly to the unbaked tarts. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of grated cheddar cheese, old cheddar is preferred

1/2 cup or 4 ounces of softened butter

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

chili pepper jelly

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine all of the ingredients except the pepper jelly in a bowl. Mix well as you want the softened butter to be incorporated into the other ingredients. 

Chill the dough mixture in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes. I usually place the dough

mixture onto two pieces of plastic wrap, wrap it tightly and chill.  

Take a heaping teaspoon of the dough mixture and spoon it into mini muffin or tart pans. Press your thumb into the dough, pat it down and make a well in the middle. It should look like a mini tart. Take 1/2 tsp of the jelly and place it in the well of the tart.  You can use a combination of red and green pepper jelly.   

Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Makes 4 dozen. Can be wrapped and stored in the freezer.