ISO: ISO mini/finger desserts for Christmas potluck (Not cookies)

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mariadnoca

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I was thinking about making mini (Mini cupcake size) pies, but when I did that a while back with my regular yummy apple pie somehow turning them into miniatures made them lose the taste that makes them special. Not sure what went wrong there.

I’m doing this to help out a neighbor with twins so she can bring something home made to her family holiday get together, so I want them to be special but not particularly super involved in making. (Family can’t do nuts and does not like lemon.)

 
Fudge Delices

Fudge Delices


Ingredients:

Pastry:
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 1/3 tablespoons cold butter, (2 2/3 ounces) cut into 1-inch pieces
1 egg
Filling:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg


Directions:

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles corn meal. In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly and stir it into the flour mixture. This can be done in a food processor. Mix together until a dough is formed.

Divide the dough into 23 pieces and form into 23 shells in mini cupcake pans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For Filling:
Melt chocolate and butter. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla. Add beaten egg and mix until blended. Place a slightly rounded teaspoonful of the filling in each pastry shell. They will be 1/3 to 1/2 full, but the filling will rise during baking. Place both tart pans on a cookie sheet for easier handling.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, reversing the pans to insure even browning. Bake until pastry is barely colored. Do not overbake - the filling should remain slightly chewy.

Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, and then gently remove from pans and place on racks to finish cooling.

Note from Maida Heatter: 23 is a strange number of cookies to make but I like the filling to be generous. If you make 24, the filling is a little too shallow.



Notes: Excellent - Store in freezer

 
Mini Blueberry Tartlets

Mini Blueberry Crumb Tarts
Servings: 20 tartlets

Ingredients:

Tart Dough:
3 ounces fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, (1 stick)
1 cup flour
Filling:
4 cups blueberries (freshs or frozen)
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 cup cold water
Topping:
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened


Directions:


Blend cream cheese and butter together. Work in flour. Shape into a ball and refridgerate up to one hour.
Shape 20-1" balls and place in tart pan. I use a tart shaper to shape my tarts or you can just press the dough up the pan. Set aside in refrigerator until filling is ready.

Place blueberries, lemon juice and sugar in medium sauce pan. Bring to a slow boil. When blueberries begin to cook mix in cornstarch mixed with cold water all the while stirring your mixture. Cook 1-2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Work flour, sugar and butter with fingers until resembles small crumbs. You won't use all this topping. I placed what was left over in the freezer for future use!

Preheat oven to 375.

Place blueberries in tarts, top with crumb topping. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust and topping start to brown.

Notes: Very good finger food dessert!

 
I recall Mar made mini cakes w/ lemon curd / cherry topping one year. It was in my to try list.

You could sub orange curd. They looked so pretty. I believe it was Mar; she posted a photo.

 
Oh you reminded me of using lemon curd with this terrific pineapple nut cake

It has no shortening and is SO moist and flavorful. Usually served with cream cheese frosting but the curd was terrific. I have cut it in "two bite" squares, top with curd and serve in mini muffin papers.

NO SHORTENING PINEAPPLE CAKE
2 c. all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped nuts
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple with juice, undrained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before topping. Serve topped with fresh, canned or frozen fruit, confectioners sugar or Cream Cheese Frosting.

 
Mini Bûche de Noël

I just saw this 5 minutes before I saw your post, Maria.

A traditional bûche de Noël is a French Christmas specialty made from a thin sponge cake that's iced, rolled up, and decorated to look like a Yule log. Here, we've created a simpler single-serving version that makes a great project with kids. Yodel snack cakes stand in for the rolled-up sponge cakes, and the fun comes from decorating them with frosting, candies, and anything else you wish.

I wouldn't but I did find it kind of nauseatingly funny.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/yodel-buche-de-noel-240926

 
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