tarts

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.

There isn’t any obvious evidence of shenanigans anyway.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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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