New Year, Lighter Dessert

     After months of eating and overindulging, it's time to start being a little bit more careful about how we're eating. Although I love to bake and make desserts, some sweets are worse for you than others. So, on New Years Eve, I decided to give a lighter dessert a try. I got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine, and I changed it around a bit to make it easier to serve and eat (no silverware required!). I also swapped the meringue for whipped cream and added candied cranberries. Not only is this a relatively light dessert, it is also incredibly simple and requires no baking.

     The end result was very tasty- the filling is tart creamy and sweet, the topping creamy and the cranberries and shells add a little crunch. And, they're bite-size, so you experience all of the flavors and textures at the same time. The only issue I had with these is that they won't keep well- the shells get soggy several hours after you fill them, so it's better to do them right before serving. You can, however, make all of the components in advance and just assemble them immediately before serving. On a side note, I had extra candied cranberries, and they are actually delicious by themselves. They would make a healthy, sweet snack if you just want a little something to satisfy your sugar cravings!

Bite-Size Cranberry Tarts (makes 30 tarts)

-cranberry curd

-candied cranberries

-whipped cream topping

-plastic sandwich bags (zip-top)

-pastry bag with star tip

-2 boxes of frozen phyllo shells (come as packages of 15)

-Thaw the phyllo shells per package instructions. If you want them to be extra crunchy, you can pop them in the oven, but make sure to cool them well before you fill them.

-Place the chilled cranberry curd into a zip-top bag, close the top and push the filling into one corner. Cut a 1 cm hole in the corner and hold as a pastry bag. Fill each of the shells with filling, using the bag to press it into the nooks and crannies of the shells. 

-Place whipped cream into the pastry bag and pipe onto the tarts. To make them look as I did, start in the middle and pipe towards the edge. Just before you reach the edge, make a circle. Then continue in a circular pattern until you run out of space and then leave a point at the top. 

-Top each tart with a candied cranberry and serve.

Cranberry Curd:
12-oz fresh cranberries
1 c sugar
3/4 c water
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c cornstarch
2 large egg yolks
2 Tbs butter, softened

-Combine cranberries, 1/2 c sugar, 1/4 c water and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for ~10 minutes, until the cranberries burst.

-Mix cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining sugar and water in a medium sized and whisk until smooth. Set aside until all cranberries have popped.

-Slowly add 1 cup of the cranberry mixture to the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Add the mixture back to the saucepan and cook till it reaches 160 F (use candy thermometer), stirring constantly.

-Strain the mixture with a fine sieve (push through the sieve to maximize yield) and discard solids. 

-Add butter and stir in while the mixture is still warm. Chill the curd until you're ready to fill the shells

Whipped Cream Topping:

-Heavy whipping cream (~1 c)

-powdered sugar

-almond extract (or vanilla, if you prefer)

-Pour approximately 1 c of cold whipping cream into a bowl and whip with a whisk. Continue to whip until the mixture holds together and has the consistency of whipped cream.  

-Stir in a little bit of powdered sugar (between 2 Tb- 1/4 c, add to taste) and ~1/4 tsp almond extract. May be refrigerated until ready to use.

Candied Cranberries:
-1 c sugar
-1 c water
-1- 1 1/2 cup cranberries
-1/2 c sparkling or turbinado sugar

-Add regular sugar and water to a saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Bring the syrup to a simmer and then remove from heat. Allow it to cool until just warm and pour over the cranberries.
-Cover and chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
-Drain the syrup and reserve for another use. Roll the cranberries into the turbinado and sparkling sugar and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Allow to dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour.