Almond Tarts

The majority of my Christmas baking deals with 'mass production' in that I have ten or twelve people to gift with cookies and usually have a limited amount of time in which to do it. I do, however, save two or three more elaborate recipes to make just for the family and take the time to thoroughly enjoy the more complex approach to the baking. This is one of them. I would say the complexity is in the fact that it takes some extra fussing and needs a special pan.

Tiny Tarts (Almond or Coconut)

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk

Mix the sugar and flour and cut in the butter until the mixture looks is in small, rough chunks. Add yolk, vanilla and gently blend until mixture holds together. Chill thoroughly. Press mixture into small, tart pans. Small cupcake tins will work, too.

Almond Filling
½ cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup finely ground, toasted almonds

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the extract and almonds. Fill the pastry lined tart pans with filling. Bake at 350 degrees until the filling is browned and set. Cool before turning out of the tart pans.

For Coconut Tarts, omit the almonds and almond extract and substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup of toasted coconut.