Sour Cherry Tarts

In the summer, we have a sour cherry tree that keeps me busy for an entire month making preserves and visinatha. I like to find new ways to use the preserves for dessert and these tarts fit the bill. Fast and easy to make, these tarts are topped with a fresh whipped topping.

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Make sure you have a large surface to work on when preparing the phyllo. Wet a thin dish towel and squeeze out the liquid so it is just damp. Cover the phyllo sheets with the damp towel to keep them from drying out. Take one sheet of phyllo pastry and brush with the melted butter. Take a second sheet of phyllo pastry and, as closely as possible, place on top of the first sheet. Brush this layer with butter again. Turn the phyllo pastry so the shorter edges are on the left and right and use a sharp knife to cut it in half. Cut each half in half again and each quarter in half again. You will have 8 pieces. Cut each of those eight pieces in half on the long edge, creating 16 rectangular pieces. Cut in half again making 32 pieces.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush the bottom and sides of each cup in a mini muffin pan with melted butter. Take one of the phyllo pastry rectangles and place it in a cup. Push the edges towards the cup and upwards to create the flaky bits surrounding the tart. Take a second rectangle and place it perpendicular to the first, repeating the same process. Continue until the entire pan is full. Brush the bottom of each muffin cup lightly with butter.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden and remove from the oven and allow to cool. While the cups cool, prepare the filling by whipping the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa and add to the whipping cream. Beat until fully incorporated. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Fill each cup with 1 heaping teaspoon of preserve (*I used sour cherry, but any preserve or jam will work). Top with whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Makes 24 tarts.