Queijadas De Sintra (portuguese Cheese Tarts With Cinnamon)

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1/2-2/3 cup ice water
• 1/4 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (at room temperature)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup un-sifted all-purpose flour

Recipe

• 1 for the pastry: combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
• 2 with a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until the texture of fine meal.
• 3 forking briskly, drizzle just enough ice water over the mixture to make it hold together.
• 4 shape into a ball, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate several hours.
• 5 meanwhile, prepare the filling: in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade (or in a blender or electric mixer set at highest speed), process the mozzarella, butter, sugar, and cinnamon about 60 seconds nonstop until smooth and creamy.
• 6 scrape down the work bowl sides with a rubber spatula and beat 60 seconds longer.
• 7 note: it will take longer for the electric mixer to reduce the mixture to creaminess, perhaps 3 to 4 minutes of steady beating.
• 8 add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 9 add the flour and pulse the motor on once or twice to blend.
• 10 transfer the mixture to a small bowl; cover and chill several hours.
• 11 when ready to bake the queijadas, preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
• 12 divide the pastry in half and roll, first one half, then the other, as thin as paper, on a lightly floured pastry cloth with a lightly floured, stockinette-covered rolling pin.
• 13 cut into rounds with a 3 1/2 inch cutter.
• 14 also re-roll and cut the scraps.
• 15 fit the pastry into plain or fluted tart tins measuring 2 1/2 inches across the top.
• 16 set the tins on baking sheets, then half-fill each tart shell with the cheese mixture.
• 17 bake uncovered for 18 to 20 minutes, just until the filling is puffy and a rich amber brown.
• 18 remove the tarts from the oven, cool until easy to handle; then using a small pointed knife, gently pry the tarts from the tins.
• 19 serve at room temperature.