Almond & Butter Fruit Tartlet Cookies

These cookies are so beautiful and tasty and easy to make! The melt-in-your-mouth buttery cookie with just a hint of almond flavor marries deliciously with the fruit making the perfect accompaniment with coffee, tea or some vanilla ice cream, and they’ll make a great addition to your mix of holiday cookies.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

2 egg yolks

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup fruit preserves (apricot, red raspberry and blueberry make for a nice assorted mix)

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in egg yolks one at  time and mix until incorporated. Add in the flour and continue to mix until you have a soft dough. 

Scoop up dough by the tablespoonful and roll into balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Using your finger or an instrument that is approximately 1 inch in diameter to make a well in the center of each cookie (this time I used a clean wine bottle cork that I dipped in flour so it wouldn’t stick). Fill the hole with 1/4 teaspoon of preserves.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Gently remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire rack.

Makes 24 cookies

Sweet & Savory Apricot Baked Brie

Here is my sweet and savory take on baked Brie. With the apricot jam and dried apricots having just the right amount of sweetness, combined with a touch of mustard and sage, wrapped in a flaky puff pastry crust, and then served warm with baguette slices and apples, it is an irresistible appetizer.

1 5-inch Brie

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry

1/3 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup dried apricots, diced small

1/4 teaspoon grainy mustard

1/4 teaspoon fresh sage leaf, minced

1 egg + 2 tablespoons of water

Optional: 1 tablespoon honey

Allow the puff pastry to defrost at room temperature for 40 minutes or so.

Preparing the Brie:

With a sharp knife, cut a circle around the top rim of Brie, about 1/8 of an inch from the edge, cutting just through the rind. Then, using a spoon, scoop off rind.

Mix together apricot preserves, apricots, sage and mustard in small bowl. If you’d like the mixture to be a bit sweeter, add the tablespoon of honey.

Whisk the egg with 2 tablespoons of water to create an egg wash.

Preheat oven to 405 degrees F. 

Roll out puff pastry to a 16 inch square. Place prepared Brie in the center of square and then bring the corners together above the Brie. Pinch the dough together at the top of the Brie, and then tie with a piece of cooking twine. Allow the loose ends (the four corners of the dough square) to fold down so the Brie looks like a tied pouch or package (see photo).  Brush with egg wash and then bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Serve with water crackers, baguette slices or fruit.