Stilton & Grape Filo Tarts
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I’m a big cheese fan, and for me, the smellier and stronger the better. A lovely cheeseboard with some plump grapes and sweet chutney – yum! But, living alone I feel that buying everything to indulge in a cheeseboard feast is a little too self-indulgent. So, last weekend I was thinking about what I could make myself which would satisfy my cheese cravings without having to invest in and eat several blocks all by myself. I then spotted the filo pastry in my freezer and boom – stilton & grape filo tarts – yum!
These tarts are so ridiculously easy to make that they are perfect for cooking for one. Plus their small size makes them perfect for small batch cooking. However, they also look (and taste) so impressive that you could cook them for guests or a crowd. They would be perfect for a dinner party.
Can you make these tarts in advance?
Yes, you could certainly make up the tarts in advance and keep them in the fridge until ready to cook. There are a couple of levels to this though:
The tart ‘stuffing’ – you could make this up to 2 days ahead and keep covered in the fridge. Even longer if you don’t add the grapes until later
The prepared tarts (including the filo) – Filo has a pesky habit of drying out so I would be careful with this one. To stop them drying out you could prepare and then cover with a damp (clean) tea towel or paper towel and then cover with clingfilm. This should be fine for a good few hours (say for example, if you made in the morning to cook that evening). However, you might be chancing it with the pastry if you were going to leave it any longer than that.
How do you make Stilton & Grape Filo Tarts?
Making these stilton & grape filo tarts couldn’t be easier – simply mix the sour cream, stilton & sliced grapes together. Just make sure you’ve mashed up the stilton first so it’s not one great big lump. Then layer 3-4 pieces of pastry in a 12 hole muffin tin or metal ramekins, brushing each layer with olive oil.
Pop in the stilton mixture and gently push the pastry a little over the mixture so it’s slightly (but not fully) enclosed. Pop into the oven for 15 minutes and you’re done.
Are these healthy?
No, no and no. Sorry! They are really great for an occasional indulgence, but anything with rich cheese and pastry is high in fat.
However, enjoy them from time to time or for a special occasion – and don’t feel bad about the odd treat!
If you are a fan of the odd cheesy ‘treat’ then check out these Freezable Brie Bites which are great for cooking for one also as you can make a batch and freeze. This red onion marmalade is also perfect for serving alongside any cheese based recipe.
Products that work great for this recipe:
Set of 4 Silicone Heat Resistant Pastry Brushes
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Non-Stick 12 Piece Muffin & Cupcake Pan
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Walnut Wood Serving Tray
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Stilton & Grape Filo Tarts
- Author: caroline
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
Rich, creamy and indulgent. These Stilton & Grape Filo Tarts look as good as they taste – yet you won’t believe how easy they are to make!
Ingredients
Scale
- 25g stilton
- 25g sour cream
- 50g black seedless grapes
- 1 sheet filo pastry (around 40g per sheet)
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place the stilton in a bowl and use a fork to divide it up so it has more of a grainy texture (rather than a big lump of cheese).
- Mix the sour cream into the stilton and combine well. Add a generous amount of milled black pepper. Add the grapes into the stilton mix and stir well.
- Cut your filo pastry in pieces around 12cm x 12cm. For a standard filo sheet this will mean cutting it in half and then each half into 4 pieces.
- Oil your ramekins or muffin tin. Push a sheet of pastry into the hole and brush with oil. Repeat until you have 3-4 pieces of pastry in each hole (depending on how much pastry you like for each tart. I used 3 pieces for each tart for the ones pictured).
- Divide the stilton mixture between the filo ‘cups’ and slightly push the edges into the middle so they cover some of the mixture.
- Place in the oven for around 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool a little before using a knife to gently remove the tarts from the ramekins. If the pastry is too soft at the bottom you can return them to the oven for a further 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- For this recipe, 1 yield = 2 tarts which is a good portion for one person.
- The prep time calculation is based on making one set of tarts. For each addional set add another 2-3 minutes prep for the filo preparation.
- If you are considering swapping red grapes for the black then it certainly works (most likely with green also for a more ‘tart’ taste, although I’ve not tried that personally). Red grapes are sweeter and less strong tasting than black, so I prefer making these with black grapes so they are a little more savoury. They also have a stronger colour and mix with the stilton and sour cream to give a beautiful purple hue.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Canape
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: General
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tarts
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 23g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Protein: 9g
Keywords: stilton, blue cheese, grapes, fruit, tarts, canape, starter, appetiser, snack
