Goat Cheese Tartlets with Caramelized Onion and Figs
Caramelized Onions:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Almond Crust:
2 cups whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cheesecake Filling:
12 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened1
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
12 fresh figs, quartered
- Preheat the oven to 450° F.
- To caramelize the onions, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add the onions and thyme.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir until the onions are coated.
- Continue cooking, stirring only occasionally, until the onions are a deep amber color.
- Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
- To make the crust, combine bread crumbs, cheese, butter and almonds in a medium bowl of a food processor until combined.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- For the filling, in a seperate bowl, blend the cheeses until smooth.
- Add the zest and the eggs, one at a time, blending until smooth again.
- Then add the heavy cream, blending until smooth.
- Grease mini muffin cups and place in a 24-cup mini muffin pan.
- Press a tablespoon on the crumb mixture evenly into each cup, and then fill two-thirds of the way up with the cheese batter.
- Distribute the caramelized onions evenly atop the filling.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
- Bake until the filling has set, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with figs.