Chocolate Cherry Tarts

Chocolate Cherry Tarts

Prep time: 1:00
Yield: approximately 2 dozen tarts
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 square baking chocolate -- melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries -- finely chopped
• 24 maraschino cherry halves

Cooking Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar; blend in melted chocolate. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. 
2. Sift dry ingredients together and blend into chocolate mixture. 
3. Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut circles with 3-inch cookie cutter and place in buttered tartlet pans or shallow muffin tins.
4. Blend cream cheese, sugar, and egg; fold in chopped cherries. Place 1 tablespoon filling in each tart. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven, top with cherry half. Chill.