Cheddar apple kisses
MAKES 16 PIECES
3/4 cup flour
1 cup grated aged Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 medium apple, cored and cut into 16 (3/4-inch) chunks
1/4 cup maple syrup
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, knead flour, cheese and butter until soft dough forms. Or place flour and butter in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse 10 times. Add cheese and process until mixture forms one ball and rolls around the center post.
Divide dough into 16 equal portions (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll into balls.
On a lightly floured surface, flatten each ball into a circle. Place fruit in center and bring dough up around apple chunk and pinch to seal fruit in dough. Continue until all apples are enclosed in dough.
Place apple mounds on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and drizzle each apple mound with maple syrup. It will soak in. Continue until all syrup is used. Return mounds to oven and continue to bake until they are golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve warm from the oven.
Barbara Unruh, Evanston
Chocolate-raspberry tart
MAKES 10 SERVINGS
Vegetable oil for pan
1-1/2 cups finely ground gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 40 cookies)
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 cups fresh raspberries
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
Small pinch salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Oil the sides and bottom of a 91/2-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom; set aside.
Place cookie crumbs in a medium bowl, add melted butter and stir until well-blended. Press into the sides and bottom of prepared tart pan. Set pan on a baking sheet and place on middle rack of oven. Bake for 15 minutes, checking and rotating if needed to make sure crust doesn't get too dark. Remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, press 1 cup of berries through a fine sieve, mashing with a wooden spoon, into a medium bowl. You'll have about 1/2 cup of puree; set it aside and discard contents of the strainer.
Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream just until boiling. Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate; whisk to blend. Stir in raspberry puree and salt. Pour mixture into cooled tart shell.
Refrigerate until the filling is fairly firm, about 1 hour. Arrange remaining berries on top of the filling; they should completely cover the surface.
Chill until filling is completely firm, about 30 minutes, and serve.
Fine Cooking magazine
