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SWEET CHERRY MINI-TARTS

Makes 24 mini-tarts.

Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup cold milk

Cream Cheese Layer:
• 1/2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg

Cherry Topping:
• 1 cup canned sweet cherries, pitted and drained (reserve juice)
• 1/2 cup reserved cherry juice
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water


For the crust, mix flour, salt and sugar. Combine vegetable oil and water in a medium bowl; do not stir. Add flour mixture; stir with fork until flour is dampened. Form dough into balls; cut in half. Roll each half between wax paper; cut pastry to tart shell size. Put in mini-muffin pans.

For cream cheese layer, beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and egg; beat until well mixed.

For cherry topping, combine cherries, reserved cherry juice, sugar and almond extract in heavy saucepan; bring to a boil on medium-low heat. Combine cornstarch and water; add to cherry mixture, stirring constantly, until boiling. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.

Spread 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture on bottom of each shell. Fill three-fourth full with cherry topping. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 15 to 20 minutes until pastry is golden.


Cherry Marketing Institute www.cherrymkt.org