Raspberry Heart Tarts

Sweet treats for your loved ones. Food happens to be one of the ways I like to show love to my family and friends. It brings me such joy to prepare a dessert, or a fantastic meal for those I love. Valentine’s Day is a great time to pop these tarts out, but don’t feel like you have to wait. These are also sure to please even if there is no special occasion at all.

Personally, I insists on using top quality ingredients which will yield the best possible results. Ingredients do matter, so if you’re like me, you’ll never, ever skimp. Getting into this habit will bring you many successes in the kitchen.

Here’s a variation of the pocket pies I made last week. I think these might be even better. Or perhaps its just that Perfect Pe Crust, which seems to make everything I put in it taste so good. Either way, give these pies a try, and be sure to share a heart with someone you love.

Use the wonderful Perfect Buttery Pie Crust recipe, and DOUBLE it. Here is the recipe for the pie filling I used on these.

Raspberry Heart Tarts Filling:

1 8oz. brick of cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon

Combine these ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

Good quality raspberry preserves

Fresh raspberries

1 egg white + 1 Tablespoon water for the egg wash

Roll out your Perfect Pie Crust after it has chilled and rested in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Best to do this on a well floured surface.

Cut out 20 heart-shaped pieces, approximately 5” across. I didn’t have a cookie cutter the right size, so I made one out of this cardboard from scratch. The beauty of this is that you can make these pocket pies any shape you can dream up. I wrapped the cardboard in plastic wrap and used a sharp knife to cut them out. It went surprisingly fast.

Brush the edge of 10 of the hearts with the egg wash. Fill each with 2 Tablespoons cream cheese mixture, 2 teaspoons preserves and three fresh raspberries. Lay a second heart (crust) over the filled heart. Crimp the edges together decoratively with your floured fingers, or a dinner fork. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding or granulated sugar. Place the tarts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. When the tray is full, place in freezer while your oven preheats to 400 degrees.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until filling bubbles out slightly, and crust is a rich golden brown.