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Thursday, August 6, 2009

Walnuts + Maple Syrup + Phyllo = Heavenly Bites

Let me begin by telling all of you how delicious all of your phyllo & anchovy suggestions are sounding to me!! I ended up going with something sweet today, but I still have half of the phyllo left and will more than likely utilize a savory inspiration...anchovies and all... for this half. I am starting to wonder how in the world I have all of these miscellaneous food-stuffs hanging around incognito. Yes, I am sure I look right at through them every time I peek into the freezer or pantry...and then grumble that there's nothing to eat. My mission to utilize these ingredients before buying more is really an eye-opener. It's pushing me to be both creative and practical...and I think I like it. I also wonder what I'll do once the shelves are pretty much cleared. Will I buy things at the market just because I might need them for something...or only buy what I know I'll use soon. Ah, I'll probably buy random odds and ends. You never know when they could get shoved to the back of the freezer come in handy. Shhhhhh...it's in my nature. I'll just have to have another round of Food Jeopardy! (Answer: Broccoli with Orange, Almonds and Brown Butter. Question: What relatively tasty dish can be made with x ingredients lying around your kitchen?) I've mentioned how much I enjoy pie before, right? Right. That's probably the reason I joined You Want Pies with That? ...and then went the last 2 months without entering a pie. Ugh. Why do I do stuff like that? Best Intentions. Really. And how ironic is it that the point in time when my kitchen is basically bare, is the point in time I get my butt in gear and come up with an entry for this month's theme Nuts, chosen by Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes. I started thinking phyllo shell...mmmmmm. I did do some perusing of the Athens Foods website for a little inspiration (and another round of Food Jeopardy! Answer: Mini Maple Walnut Phyllo Tarts Question: What kind of pie or tart can I make with the dwindling ingredients already in my kitchen?). Hooray for an almost empty bag of walnuts in the freezer along with that phyllo in question...and for the half-full bottle of maple syrup in the fridge (maple-nut goodies on my mind)! I felt like making mini's because I thought they'd be easier to eat in this heat...little bites of richness as opposed to heavy, filling plate-fulls. So, I dug these out...

With visions of mountains of mini's in my head...Mini Maple Walnut Phyllo Tarts adapted from this recipe at AthensFoods by girlichef

yield: ~48 mini tarts

1 c. maple syrup

2 eggs

2 Tbs. melted butter, cooled

1 tsp. walnut extract (or vanilla if you don't have this)

1 1/4 c. chopped walnuts

20 sheets phyllo dough, thawed (~1/2 box)

1/2 c. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, eggs, melted butter and maple extract, mixing well. Stir in walnuts. Set aside to work with phyllo.

Once everything else is ready to go, lay out a cutting board a little larger than your sheets of phyllo. Working quickly, lay out 1 sheet of phyllo and brush with melted butter. Carefully set another sheet over the first and brush with melted butter again. Repeat until you have 5 total sheets of phyllo done in this manner. Using a 3" round cutter, cut circles from the prepared phyllo. You should get ~12 circles.

Push one circle into each whole of a mini-muffin tin to make the shell. I sprayed the tins with pan spray first, just to be safe...but I don't know, it may not have been necessary. I mean, that's a lot of butter! Anyhoo...continue layering the phyllo & butter and cutting until you've done all 20 sheets. You should end up with ~48 little shells. I have a silly number of mini muffin/tart tins, so I was able to make all of these at once. If you don't, then just do them a few at a time, covering the phyllo in between times.

Place the tins in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until filling looks thick and somewhat set and shells are golden. Cool for a few minutes, and then pop these beauties out. But a word of caution...these are addicting!!! Yes, I succeeded in making mini (not so heavy) tarts, but I immediately commenced in eating enough to make up a whole slice or two of the regular-sized variety. That crisp, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth phyllo shell with just-right maple walnut, gooey goodness nestled inside could be enough to make you groan. I did.

Would you like to comment?

  1. Now this is an incredibly decadent little treat! Since they are so small, I would probably be a lot like you and over do it.

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  2. You know how much I love my mini muffin pan. These are awesome. I am printing this out right now. I love it.

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  3. Looks great! Reminds me of baklava too.

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  4. yummy - in all caps- too bad walnuts make my mouth itch - these seem like little mini maple baklavas....

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  5. Mmmmmmmmmmm, send me your address NOW! I am on a road trip to snack on those....LOL. OMG....that must have smelled heavenly being baked! BTW, you do know that they make mini phyllo cups premade, right? I hope you were just trying to get rid of the stuff you had! Hmmm, with your chopping broccoli yesterday and these phyllo cups....you giving me some ideas girlie!

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  6. I'm like Doggy Bloggy walnuts make my mouth itch too. Why is this! I could use pecans instead???

    These are wonderful and are the perfect size!

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  7. wow wow wow!!! They look incredible and delish and yummy and do you think I can have some for breakfast with my coffee? (and maybe a shot of kahlua on the side hee hee)

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  8. First thing I thought of too, was baklava. Sure looks amazing - I'd like a half dozen to snack on please!! :)

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  9. Awesome idea... Love the replacement of the Pecans with Walnuts and the Corn syrup with Maple syrup. Very nice! They sound amazing!!!

    How do you think they would taste with Grand Marnier or Cointreau instead of the extract?

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  10. Yummy! Looking forward to the savoury version, hehe.

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  11. Mmm, these look pretty tasty. I have a lot of mini-muffin pans, too! I just love them :)

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  12. Yes! These are very baklava-esque...mmmmmmm, baklava!

    Denise...you will not be disappointed!

    doggy & ungourmet...LOL, but I do know what you mean. There's so few in each little morsel, surely 1won't hurt. But yes Kim...pecans or any nut would probably rock.

    JennyMac...um, no! LMAO, I didn't realize that, I like to do things the hard way ;P ...but YES, I am trying to use up what I already have, so I don't feel so bad.

    Shane...freakin' amazing! I'll try one of those next time.

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  13. These look so dainty that surely two wouldn't hurt...:)

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  14. Nuts and Filo pastry..Heather, you have read my mind, I love all the pastry stuff...I mean, who could ever resist those heavenly bites?

    Angie's Recipes

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  15. mmm, i love any kind of combination of sugar, nuts, honey, etc., especially when it's served in a pastry shell

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  16. These are the perfect snack for me. LOL. I'll take a dozen. ;-)

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  17. oh wow... little parcels of crispy, golden, sitcky perfetion!!! I love working with phyllo, I don't like that people are scared of it. After all, if you slap enough butter on it, it's quite forgiving :)

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  18. Girlichef, these look absolutely scrumptious. I'll have to make them as an alterative to the old pecan pie for my hubby. My mouth is watering right now.

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  19. Wow, you are killing me with this dessert!!!! Delicious!

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  20. I have heard that walnuts make peoples mouth feel funny, but I think it is the chemical in the oil, but hey MORE FOR ME! I love little bites of goodness...

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  21. Wow, You sure know how to turn nothing into something. These look absolutely decacent!

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  22. Girlie, first time commenting on your site, so be gentle. AMAZING! I love the look of these! I am making these tonight. I will let you know

    Dave

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  23. can you see the back of the frig, yet? i am amazed at what you have lurking in the unseen corners of your pantry - i am just the wee most be envious
    oh, and those last two photos are definitely something to be proud of!!

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  24. Looks like an expensive goodie in a high end bakery!!!

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  25. dAve...Of course :D do let me know how they turn out!

    lady P...I know...that's totally why I'm trying to use everything up...hidden gems ;)

    Everybody else...thanks so much :D

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  26. These look incredibly delicious!! Being mini makes them all the more easier to pop into your mouth! I would grab one every time I passed by.

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  27. This is an absolutely wonderful idea - how delicious!

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  28. These are way too cute to eat! I bet they were crispy, flaky, sticky and buttery. oooh!

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  29. How adorable! I love the idea of these mini tarts and the combo of walnuts and maple syrup sounds excellent!

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  30. wow you have excelled yourself, awesome

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  31. Holy crap.. does this ever look delicious! LOVE them!

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  32. Spectacular! Like baklava (my suggestion) and pecan pie (or walnut pie in this case) all in one! I love it!

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  33. I would love to take a whole pan home with me.

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  34. Looks a lot like a baklava, but with maple syrup - super yum!! Walnuts are one of my favorite nuts and this looks so good. Sticky, chewy, crunchy.....lip smackin' goodness : )

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  35. This is incredible. Is it for the phyllo dough recipe contest? If it is not, is should be.

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  36. I love anything that comes out of cupcake molds. This is almost like pecan pie but with walnuts...and really that can't be beat.

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  37. These are little bites of heaven. I love the sweetness..and they look great too!

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  38. I love those cute little tarts! Send some up here ;-)

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  39. Oh my what wonderful little treasures! Yum! :-)

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  40. These look terrific - like a baklava almost!

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  41. These look adorable and I bet they taste delicious!!! :)

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  42. I could seriously eat everyone of those things! I need to do what you're doing, get creative and clean out my mess of a freezer.

    Strike that, make that freezers. Ugh!

    I'm going to go check out that pie linky thing now lol...

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  43. Perfect for a formal event and serve it as an appetizer. I just bookmarked the recipe of those great palate teaser. Yum!

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  44. You bake better things from your pantry finds than I do when I plan from start to finish!

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  45. I love minis! These look so rich and yummy--great job!

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  46. These are so cute and look completely addicting!

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  47. These are beautiful! I bet they were delicious!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  48. Mmmm, those look so perfect and guilt-free too (if you can stick to just one or two). Nice job, they're adorable!

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  49. It's like a cross between pecan pie and baclava! Yum, rich and decadent! And we have "clean out the fridge" dinners sometimes when we put everything on the table and cook something with it.

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  50. Oh how gorgeous! These are amazing! You know, you could have saved the zest of the threatening-to-shrivel orange to add to these... I love this kitchen clearout of yours.

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  51. I can't wait to try these next time I have friends over. I love little mini desserts. I'm bookmarking now.

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  52. these look delicious!! but dangerous.. i can see myself wolfing down one after another!! I love the filo crust - I've always been a bit wary of filo, but now I'm definitely going to give it a go!! YUM

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