Blue Cheese Tartlets With Fig Jam and Walnuts
By: Bob Vivant
Published: Friday, February 17, 2012 - 12:34pm

Ingredients




3 ounces blue cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fig jam
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1 orange, for zesting
fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Preparation

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the cups of the mini muffin pans, unless you’re using non-stick pans. 2 In a medium bowl cream together the blue cheese and butter. Add the flour and use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. 3 Divide the dough into 30 pieces and roll into balls. (If you prefer a more delicate shell, divide the dough into 36 pieces.) 4 Using lightly floured fingers evenly press the dough against the sides of the mini tart pan until the dough rises slightly above the rim of the muffin cup. 5 Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove shells to a wire rack to finish cooling. 6 Store cooled shells in an airtight container until ready to use. (They freeze well too. Bake frozen shells for 8 minutes at 325°F before filling.) 7 Spoon jam into cooled tartlet shells. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts, orange zest, and thyme leaves if using.

About

Blue cheese and fig jam go together like PB&J, but you can make these savory treats with any soft cheese and any filling. Not a blue cheese fan? Make the shells with goat cheese and fill them with a spicy strawberry jam.