Red chile cranberry cream cheese tartlets in crisp filo shells

Red Chile Cranberry Tartlets

  • Red Chile Cranberry Tartlets combine a smooth cream cheese filling with crisp layers of filo pastry and Santa Fe Seasons Red Chile Cranberry Sauce.

    The filo, also commonly spelled phyllo, is brushed with melted butter and pressed into mini muffin tins. After the cream cheese tartlets are baked, each one receives a spoonful of sweet, tart and gently spicy cranberry sauce.

    Red Chile Cranberry Tartlet Details

    Estimated prep time: 25 minutes
    Bake time: 15 minutes
    Cooling time: Approximately 20 minutes
    Estimated total time: 1 hour
    Oven temperature: 350°F
    Estimated yield: Approximately 24 tartlets
    Course: Dessert or appetizer
    Cooking method: Baking
    Cuisine: Southwestern

    Ingredients

    The original recipe does not state the package sizes for the filo dough or cream cheese.

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    2. Lightly prepare the required number of mini muffin tins as needed to prevent sticking.

    3. Place the softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.

    4. Add the eggs and sugar. Continue mixing until the cream cheese filling is smooth and evenly combined.

    5. Place one sheet of thawed filo dough on a clean work surface.

    6. Brush the sheet lightly with melted butter.

    7. Place another filo sheet on top and brush it with butter. Continue until five sheets have been layered.

    8. Cut the layered filo into approximately 3-inch-by-3-inch squares.

    9. Gently press one layered filo square into each mini muffin cup, allowing the corners to extend above the pan.

    10. Fill each pastry cup approximately two-thirds full with the cream cheese mixture.

    11. Bake the tartlets at 350°F for approximately 15 minutes. They are finished when the cream cheese filling is set and the exposed filo edges are lightly golden.

    12. Allow the tartlets to cool briefly in the pans before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack.

    13. Once the tartlets have cooled, top each one with approximately 1 teaspoon of Red Chile Cranberry Sauce.

    14. Serve the tartlets immediately or refrigerate them until ready to serve.

    Tips for Working With Filo Dough

    Thaw the filo dough according to the package instructions before opening it. Filo can crack when it is still frozen or become sticky when allowed to get too warm.

    Keep unused filo sheets covered with a clean, barely damp kitchen towel while assembling the tartlets. The thin pastry dries quickly when exposed to air.

    Brush each layer lightly with butter. Excess butter can make the pastry heavy, while too little may prevent the layers from becoming crisp.

    Cut all five layered sheets at the same time so each tartlet has an even pastry shell.

    Tips for the Cream Cheese Filling

    Use fully softened cream cheese so the filling blends smoothly with the eggs and sugar.

    Avoid overfilling the filo cups. Leaving the cups approximately one-third empty gives the filling room to set without spilling over the edges.

    Allow the tartlets to cool before adding the cranberry sauce. This keeps the topping visible and prevents it from blending completely into the warm filling.

    Red Chile Cranberry Topping

    Santa Fe Seasons Red Chile Cranberry Sauce combines cranberries, orange, port wine, cane sugar and New Mexico red chile.

    The sauce adds tart cranberry flavor, citrus, sweetness and gentle chile warmth to the rich cream cheese filling.

    More Recipes With Red Chile Cranberry Sauce

    For a full-size holiday dessert, try Red Chile Cranapple Pie.

    Baked Stuffed Apples en Croute wrap cranberry-filled tart apples in golden puff pastry.

    For a savory recipe, make Easy Turkey Cranberry Sliders.

    Browse the complete Taste New Mexico recipe collection for more New Mexico-inspired appetizers, desserts, dinners and drinks.

    Storing Red Chile Cranberry Tartlets

    Because the filling contains cream cheese and eggs, refrigerate the tartlets in a covered container. Use them within three to four days.

    For the crispest filo texture, the tartlets are best served on the day they are prepared. Refrigeration will gradually soften the pastry.

    Remove the tartlets from the refrigerator shortly before serving, but do not leave them at room temperature for more than two hours.

Shop – Santa Fe Seasons Red Chile Cranberry Sauce

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