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Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts Recipe

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Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

Hi y’all!  How was your weekend?  Did you have a big fun cookout?  Lay low with a cold beer by a pool or lake or ocean?  We spent 5 fantastic days in Hilton Head at the Weston Hilton Head Resort and Spa and I totally wish I was still there – although I did miss my fur babies even though they were so in good hands and no parties were thrown that we can tell.

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

There isn’t any obvious evidence of shenanigans anyway.

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

I figured we’d ease our way out of summer and into fall.  I know that Labor Day is kind of that unofficial transition with stupid rules about wearing white (I have zero idea who in tarnation came up with this ridiculousness because it’s still hot as all get out down here) and pools and amusement parks closing.  Those are some sad and heartbreaking days.

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

I had to cheer some things up around here with some pastry cream in a tart topped with beer infused cherry compote and whipped cream, so I made you some Pineapple Ale Mini Cherry Tarts.  You’re welcome.

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

I’m still fresh from the beach, so I can’t move on to fall yet.  #sorrynotsorry

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

I gotta tell ya, it’s been a couple of years since we’ve been able to take a beach vacation.  With four dogs that belong on Misfit Island, it’s hard to get away.  This summer we were able to secure a fantastic pet sitter and made two trips to the beach.  There is not much more relaxing to me as laying on the beach, reading chick lit or legal mystery, and listening to the waves crash while drinking a cold beer or banana daiquiri.

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts are a delightful and delicious transition from summer to fall with some beer infused cherries, pastry and whipped cream.

So, we’ll talk about apples next week, ‘k?

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts Recipe
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Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 prepared store bought pie crust

For the Pastry Cream

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 9 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

For the Cherries

  • 1 pound cherries cleaned, pitted stems removed
  • 1 cup pineapple ale beer I used Ballast Point Pineapple Sculpin - peach could be substituted
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • For the Whipped Cream
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste

Instructions

For the Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Fit crust into mini tart pans, press to form, press edge of dough over top of each pan to cut dough from pan, and prick the bottom of the dough several times with a fork - do this for each of the tart pans
  3. Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown - you want to bake it all the way because this is the only time it will be in the oven
  4. Cool on a wire rack

For the Pastry Cream

  1. Whisk together sugar, flour, and sal in a large bowl, add eggs and whisk everything together - mixture will be thick
  2. Add milk and cream to a sauce pan and heat over medium heat until steamy, but do not boil
  3. Add 1/2 cup of the hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk to prevent the eggs from scrambling
  4. Gradually add milk 1/2 cup at a time to the egg mixture while constantly whisking until almost all the milk is added to the eggs
  5. Pour all the egg/milk mixture back into the pot
  6. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it starts to bubble, continue whisking another 1 -2 minutes until thick
  7. Remove from heat
  8. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the pastry cream into the sieve and strain - this will catch any of the eggs that may have scrambled
  9. Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap making sure to press the plastic to the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming
  10. Chill completely in the refrigerator

For the Cherries

  1. Add cherries, beer, and corn starch to a sauce pan and stir to combine
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until thick, stirring often - careful not to let it boil over - this should take 15 minutes or so
  3. Remove from heat and cool

For the Whipped Cream

  1. Chill bowl and whisk attachment for stand mixer in freezer for 20 - 30 minutes
  2. Fit bowl and whisk to the mixer
  3. Add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste to the bowl
  4. Turn mixer on low to avoid splashing and increase speed to medium high
  5. Beat until light peaks form - this should take 5 - 6 minutes or so - keep an eye on it so it doesn't turn to butter

For the Assembly

  1. Evenly distribute pastry cream into the prepared tart shells/pans
  2. Evenly distribute cherries to the top of the pastry cream
  3. Top each with whipped cream

Note:  All of these steps can be prepared ahead of time and assembled just before serving

Pineapple Ale Cherry Mini Tarts Recipe

Mini Cherry Goat Cheesecakes

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Have I ever told you about the time I went to Girl Scout Camp and stole a canoe?

 

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True story.

 

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Don’t judge me.  I did not act alone.

 

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I met the best friend I had all through elementary, junior high, and high school on the first day of first grade.  I was a terrified, extremely shy, awkward, and skinny kid when I showed up to the first day of school.  This day remains one of my most vivid memories.  Kim approached me and asked who my kindergarten teacher was.

 

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Back in the day we only went to kindergarten half days.  You either had school in the morning or the afternoon.  So, I said I had Mrs. Wright, Kim slapped me five and said she did too.  She was morning and I was afternoon.  We were thick as thieves from that moment on.

 

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Flash forward about 10 years and somehow we ended up as non-Girl Scouts at Girl Scout Camp.  There were girls of all ages there, but the older girls (us) got our own weird 3 sided cabin away from all the little girls and I’m here to tell you that just invited shenanigans. Trust me.  I speak the truth.

 

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This camp was obviously in the woods, but it was near a body of water that wasn’t really a river, but it was bigger than a stream. There were residential homes in the area too.  Kim and I were out looking for trouble exploring one afternoon and came across a canoe by the water.  We looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, and thanked our lucky stars for this opportunity.  We rowed up and down that body of water all day long – venturing a bit further each time.

 

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Then we started taking on passengers and that led to our demise as captains of the purloined canoe.

 

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We got busted.

 

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I realize that trip down my memory lane had absolutely nothing to do with these mini cherry goat cheesecakes, but I sure had a good time thinking about my old friend and remembering that dang canoe appropriation.  We did give it back after all!

 

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Mini Cherry Goat Cheesecakes

Ingredients

For the Cherries

  • 1 pound fresh cherries
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • For the Cheesecakes
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 8 ounces goat cheese softened
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • mint leaves for garnish if desired

Instructions

For the Cherries

  1. Combine cherries, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and water in a large pot and bring to a boil
  2. Reduce heat to a simmer, add corn starch, and continue cooking until cherries are soft and liquid thickens
  3. Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator

For the Cheesecakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs
  3. Add 12 cupcake liners to a standard size muffin pan
  4. Press about 2 tablespoons into the bottom of each liner
  5. Add goat cheese and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low until smooth
  6. Add the 2/3 cup of sugar and the salt and beat on low until combined
  7. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to incorporate the first completely before adding the second one
  8. Add vanilla and beat on high until smooth, about 2 minutes
  9. Pour evenly into the cupcake liners
  10. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until set
  11. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until cold
  12. To serve, peel off liners, top with cherries, and garnish with mint leaves if desired

Adapted from Food & Wine July 2015 issue

Note:  I refrigerated the cherries and the cheesecakes overnight