Savory Cheese Tartlets with Blackberries

I got this recipe from the fine folks at Driscoll’s^® and had to share it as it is perfect for holiday entertaining.

Filling Ingredients:

• 5 oz. rindless goat cheese, at room temperature
• 3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. honey, preferably full flavored, such as chestnut or thyme, warmed

Cream Cheese Dough Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature, plus more for pans, if needed
• 3 oz. cream cheese, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature

 Directions:

1. Combine flour and salt in a food processor fitted with metal chopping blade and pulse to combine. Add butter and cream cheese and pulse about 10 times, until mixture begins to clump together. Gather up dough and shape into a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and easy to handle (about 2 hours).
2. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Have ready two 12-cup miniature muffin pans (each cup measuring 1 7/8 inches across the top and 7/8 inches deep), preferably nonstick. If the pans are not nonstick, lightly butter them.
3. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Place one piece in each muffin cup.  Using fingers, press dough firmly and evenly up sides to make a pastry shell.  (A wooden tart tamper can help the job go quickly.) Freeze 5 minutes.
4. Mash goat cheese and cream cheese together in a medium bowl until smooth. Add egg, yolk, minced thyme, salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Spoon equal amounts of filling into chilled pastry shells.
5. Bake tartlets until crust is golden brown and filling is puffed (about 25 minutes). Let cool for 10 minutes in pans. Remove tartlets from pans and transfer to a wire cake rack to cool completely.
6. Just before serving, lightly brush tops of tartlets with about 1 tablespoon of honey. Arrange berries on top as desired. Drizzle with the remaining honey. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves and serve.

Servings: 24 tartlets, 8 to 12 servings