Smoked Salmon Tartlets With Red And Black Caviar Topping.

This is a most elegant, and delicious appetizer for all kinds of buffets. All you need to do is prepare the tartlets a few days earlier, freeze them, then use them in whatever way you want: savory or sweet.
These particular ones were savory where whole cumin seeds were used to adorn the tartlet and taste the cumin while biting into it......






To make the tartlets you will need:
Make 25

A Recipe for tarts and tartlets which always works is as follows:

Makes 25 tartlets.

-  250 gr all purpose flour.

-  110 gr cold butter cut in pieces or "NeoVitam soft" for our Greek friends.

-  76 cc. cold water.

-  ½ tsp. salt.

Method for the tartlets:

-  Heat oven to 200 degrees C.

-        -   Add flour, salt, and butter in a big bowl.

-        -  Cut butter into flour until all is grainy

      -  Add cold water and mix by hand till a smooth dough is obtained.

-        -  Wrap in a plastic film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

-        -  When time is up, flour your working surface and flatten your dough into a circle. 
     - Use a 7.5 cm cutter to cut circles.

-        -  Put each circle in place in muffin mold and using your fingers to cover the base and sides to form a tartlet.
-    -  Pearce holes into the base and all around the sides of the tartlets with a fork to prevent dough from swelling. 
-    -  Bake for 15 minutes or until a golden.

-        -  Take out from oven, let cool completely.

-        -  Bake the next batch till dough is finished.

-      -    Use immediately or freeze for future use.

Note: If tartlet is going to be used for savory purposes, you can add some coriander, sesame, cumin, or cardamom seeds to the dough. This will give it extra flavor.

To fill the tartlets you will need:
-  600 gm cream cheese (Philadelphia).
-  ½ cup 35% cream
-  ¼ tsp. salt.
-  ½ Tbsp. vinegar.
-  1½ cups shredded Gouda.
-  200 gr thinly sliced smoked salmon then cut into fine strips.
-  2 spring onions thinly sliced.
-  Freshly ground pepper.
-  2 small tins of black and red caviar.
-  ½ lemon.
-  1 bunch dill finely chopped.
Method for the filling:
-  Using a mixer, turn the cream cheese, fresh cream, salt, dill, shredded Gouda, the spring onions, pepper and vinegar into a smooth paste. No problem if the onions are not completely ground.
-  Stir in the smoked salmon strips and make sure they are evenly distributed into the cream. Taste the outcome and if you like it leave it as it is, if you think it needs something extra go ahead and put some Tabasco, walnuts, pickled cucumbers or whatever else you wish.
-  If the party is within the following 2 hours then you can go ahead and fill each tartlet with the mixture. If it is for the evening or next day, then cover bowl with cling film, refrigerate mixture till it is time to use.
-  Fill each tartlet with the cream mixture and add some black or red caviar on each tartlet.
-  Grind some fresh pepper, and maybe sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice.
Note: The reason the tartlets must not be filled and left standing for many hours is that the bottom of the tartlet will get soft and soggy.
Enjoy!
Stelio