Cranberry sauce and brie mini tartelettes

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PRESENTATION

If you are not stranger to a last minute party invitation, you know how stressing it can be to come up with something tasty, and aesthetically appealing at the same time. These cranberry sauce and brie tartelettes can be preparade ahead of time and baked to order. So, take the stress out of this holiday season. Take the taste in with the cranberry sauce and brie mini tartelettes. Your guests will thank you for these cheerful savory treats!

Enhance your holiday menu with other enticing appetizers:

 

INGREDIENTS

for the pie dough
Flour 3 cups (360 g)
Vegetable shortening 1 ½ cup (250 g)
Eggs 1 - large
Water ⅓ cup (80 ml)
Vodka 1 tbsp (14 ml)
Salt 1 pinch
for the cranberry sauce
Cranberries 24 oz (680 g)
Granulated sugar 3 cups (600 g)
Water 3 cups (750 ml)
Orange zest 1 - large
Cloves 9 - each
Salt 1 pinch
for the filling
Brie cheese 12 oz (350 g)

How to prepare the pie dough

Place the flour in the bowl of a food processor. Add the vegetable shortening and pulse 5 times.

With the blades running, add the remaining ingredients until you get a cohesive mass. The dough should form a ball around the blades.

Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

Once the time has passed, roll out the dough to 1/8" and cut out circles (you can use a cookie cutter or an upside down glass).

Press the dough in buttered mini tartlet tins. Set aside. 

Pre-heat oven to 350° F convection.

Remove the rind from the brie (it doesn't melt well, so leave it for another use). Cut the brie in tiny dices, and set aside.

Fill each mini tartlet with enough brie to reach the rim. Repeat until all brie is gone.

Place the mini tartelettes tins on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes rotating half the way through.

How to prepare the cranberry sauce

Place the cranberries, the cinnamon stick and the water in a large casserole. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Using a food mill, process the cranberries. Remove the cinnamon stick temporarily. The cranberry skins will be left on the food mill, while the pulp goes back into the large casserole.

Return the cinnamon stick to the pan, add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until desired consistency.

Assembling the tartelettes

While the tartelettes are still hot from the oven, dollop about 1 tbs of cranberry sauce on each one.

Serve warm.

How to store

The pie dough can be frozen. The shells, once baked can be refrigerated or frozen, as well.

The cranberry sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Advice

You can garnish with little green leaves such as rosemary or mint.