Iron Chef Pembroke PInes February 2011 - Strawberry Tartlets

I made this yummy treat...the graham cracker crust is to DIE for...

Strawberry Tartlets

1 ½ cups hulled, quartered strawberries

3 TBS granulated sugar

Nonstick cooking spray

5 ounces graham crackers (about 10 whole crackers)

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar (may use finely chopped piloncillo for a decidedly Mexican flavor...it's that cake of dark maple sugar wrapped in plastic wrap)

½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 8-ounce pkgs. Cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

½ cup granulated sugar

To Make:

1. In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 3 TBS granulated sugar. Let stand at room temp for one hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Place six 3 ½ x ¾ -inch tart pans with removeable bottoms on a baking sheet. Coat tart pans with cooking spray.

3. For tartlet shells, in a food processor, combine crackers and brown sugar; cover and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add butter; cover and process until the crumbs come together. Press the crumbs on bottoms and up the sides of prepared tart pans. Bake in a preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes or until tartlet shells are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

4. For strawberry filling, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sour cream; beat with an electric mixture on medium speed until fluffy. Add the ½ cup granulated sugar; beat until well mixed. Drain strawberries, reserving 2 TBS of liquid. Fold strawberries and reserved liquid into the cream cheese mixture. Divide the strawberry filling evenly amoung the tartlet shells. If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

5. Makes 6 tartlets…

courtesy BH&G Special Interest Mexican