Lemon Almond Tassies with Graham Shortbread Crust

Cookies and lemon
They're tarts in miniature
See them disappear!

Lemon Almond Tassies with Graham Shortbread Crust

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

Crust -

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (from 4 whole grahams)

1/8 tsp salt

10 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes

6 tbsp sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg yolks

Filling -

8 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

3 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp lemon extract

*Makes 48 tassies - recipe can be halved.

Directions:

1.  Move the oven rack to the upper-middle position.  Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease mini muffin pans.

2.  For the Crust: place the flour, graham crumbs, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Add the butter pieces.  Pulse to fine crumbs.

3.  Add the sugar, vanilla, and yolks to the bowl.  Pulse just until the wet ingredients are incorporated.  The mixture will still be crumbly.

4.  Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture (pressing to form a ball) into each muffin cup.  Then, press the dough flat into each cup, and about 3/4 of the way up the sides.

5.  Bake for about 7 minutes, or until the crust is golden.  Transfer the pans to racks to cool completely.

6.  For the Filling: place the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl.  Beat until smooth.  Add the egg, zest, juice, and extracts.  Beat until smooth.

7.  Scoop or pipe the filling into the cooled crusts, almost to the tops.

8.  Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the filling is set and just starting to color on the very edges.  The filling will have risen above the crusts, but will sink back down as it cools.

9.  Transfer the pans to racks to cool.  When cool enough to handle, transfer the tassies to the racks to cool completely.  Serve!