It’s hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since Angie dreamt up Fiesta Friday. I remember how she said that she wanted us all to mix and mingle with each other because it was a party. I must admit that I was sceptical – I had tried various linky parties which made me feel like a virtual wallflower – hardly anyone visited, and the few that did, never commented or liked what I shared. So, when Fiesta Friday started, I stood on the sidelines for a few weeks, popping by to see what was going on and couldn’t believe how fabulous Angie’s bash was. People were submitting gorgeous recipes and they were all mingling like mad! The comments were so supportive, encouraging and some were very funny too. It quickly became apparent that some people were super bubbly and had to be kept away from the sweets – and I am not naming any names here! So, I really pushed the boat out and made a batch of Nutella Espresso Sticky Buns. Well, the WordPress app on my phone didn’t stop pinging all weekend – people were commenting, following my blog and generally doing exactly what should be happening at linky parties. I felt like the fabled swan when Angie featured my post the following week! So Angie, congratulations on such a successful event and a huge thank you for hosting a brilliant party and gathering these lovely bloggers to your fold.
These Blue Cheese Tartlets with Candied Walnuts are something that I have been wanting to make for some time. I watched one of the contestants on Masterchef making something similar with roasted tomatoes and basil oil and the idea of an individual savoury cheesecake really made an impression on me. Also, I bought half a dozen cute little fluted tart tins from the dollar store in Winnipeg when I was there last and keep looking for an excuse to use them. I thought that walnuts would be a much better flavour match for blue cheese so dressed my tarts with the candied walnuts and the walnut dressing.
Making a “crust” with buttery bread crumbs couldn’t be easier and the cheesecake filling comes together so easily with a little whizz in the food processor.
This recipe is worth it just for the candied walnuts alone – you will not be able to stop eating them so I suggest you make twice as many. Just sayin’.
The tarts are gorgeous – the rich cheese filling with the crispy, crumbly breadcrumb crust, the peppery rocket leaves and the sharp nutty dressing topped off with the sweet and slightly spicy crunchy walnuts – perfect dinner party fodder if you ask me!
I am taking this over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday Anniversary Part 1 which this special week is being co-hosted by my two of my favourite Canadian bloggers, Hilda @Along The Grapevine and Julianna @Foodie On Board – the original two co-hosts for the first few Fiesta Fridays.
If you are new to blogging, please do join the party, we would love to see you. Fiesta Friday is a great way to gain exposure and make new friends too. Be sure to comment, like and follow – Angie has such a friendly crowd at this party that you will come away with lots of new followers (as long as you interact) as well as a lot of inspiration! Submit a post (please be sure to include the link and a mention, in your post, to Angie’s Fiesta Friday Anniversary Part 1 post – it’s only polite and also ensures that you can be considered for a feature next week!) or just take a look at others are up to! If you’re new to Fiesta Friday, please read the Fiesta Friday guidelines and invitation post for helpful hints.
It’s been my great pleasure to co-host Fiesta Friday several times and I am so honoured that Angie has asked me to co-host the Fiesta Friday Anniversary Part 2 with Nancy @ Feasting With Friends next week. The theme is mains and puddings/sweets next week, so best wear loose clothing! Jhuls, I will bring lots of camomile tea with me! I look forward to seeing what you lovely people bring this week and next. Happy Anniversary Fiesta Friday!
Blue Cheese Tartlets with Candied Walnuts
Inspired by MasterChef
INGREDIENTS
For the Candied Walnuts
- 150 g of walnut halves or pieces
- 100 g of caster sugar
- 15 g butter
- a few shakes of cayenne pepper
For the Walnut Dressing
- 1 Tbsp/15 ml white wine/apple cider vinegar
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp French mustard
- 2 Tbsp/30 ml walnut oil
- 1 Tbsp/15 mi extra virgin olive oil
For the Blue Cheese Tartlets
- 100 g white bread (trimmed of the crusts)
- 50 g butter
- salt and pepper
- 100g full fat cream cheese
- 75 g blue cheese
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp flour
- 1 Tbsp double cream/creme fraiche
To serve
- Rocket leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Candied Walnuts
- Place all the ingredients into a nonstick pan and stir over a medium heat.
- Keep stirring until the sugar turns to caramel and starts to coat the nuts. This takes between 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t let the caramel burn – just keep stirring it.
- Once the caramel is a toffee brown, pour the mixture onto a silicone sheet or parchment paper – be careful as the caramel is very hot – and using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, separate the nuts making sure that there is caramel on each one.
- Let cool, then store, out of sight, in a lidded jar to avoid eating the whole lot.
For the Walnut Dressing
- Place the vinegar and sea salt in a small bowl and whisk to dissolve the salt.
- Whisk in the mustard then slowly whisk in the oils. You can also just put the lot in a lidded container and shake hard but I like the rounded airy fullness that whisking gives to a dressing.
- Set aside.
For the Blue Cheese Tartlets
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Butter/spray the bases and sides of 4 x 8cm/3in fluted, loose bottomed flan tins.
- Whizz the bread in a food processor to fine crumbs. Melt the butter and tip in the crumbs, stirring to combine. Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Divide into 4 then press the mixture on the base and up the sides of the prepared tins. Use the back of a teaspoon to even out the base.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10- 12 minutes or until the bases are golden but keep an eye on them as they can catch quite quickly.
- Beat the rest of the ingredients together and divide between the tins. I did this in the mini processor in which I whizzed the bread crumbs.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the tops are golden and just set – a little wobble in the middle is desired.
- Cool for a few minutes then remove carefully from the tins.
- Serve warm or at room temperature on a few rocket leaves, drizzling the dressing around the plate and garnishing with the candied walnuts.
I am SO glad I wore my loose, comfy clothing today… these tartlets look spectacular! The flavors sound delicious. I also remember that savory cheesecake from Masterchef… nice to see your inspiration take fruition. I hope you brought some extra walnuts with you for munching, I KNOW I won’t be able to stay away from them. :P
Happy Fiesta Friday… I’m looking forward to next week when we get to take on the co-hosting duties with Angie!
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Hi Nancy! It’s going to be a kaftan wearing couple of weeks if today is anything to go by! How funny that you saw and remembered the savoury cheesecake too – great minds.. Don’t worry, I have plenty of the candied walnuts and will save you a handful – they are fantastic! So pleased to be co-hosting with you next week – I will ping you an email soon to discuss strategy!
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They look gorgeous Selma, like the candied walnuts especially x
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Thanks Deena! The walnuts are very moreish – I wish I hadn’t tried one. Or was that ten?!
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Awww… what a lovely post, Selma. <3 I agree every word you say. And these tartlets are so gooood!! You better save extra for me.
This is where we met and I am glad that we did. Angie brings people together. And did you say you'd brings lots of camomile tea? Well, bring boxes. I think FF #53 is my day *insert evil laugh here* :D Expect me at Angie's place the night before FF#53 – I'd better be early for the sweets!! :D :D
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Thanks Bubbles – we really do have Angie to thank for putting us together – it has been lovely getting to know you. If ever there was a FF made for you, it is next week’s Anniversary Part 2!! I’d better get Nancy to get some boxes (boxes?!! What are we in for?!) in too. And Angie! Have a wonderful weekend and see you on the blogs x
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My lovely Selma, a lovely post from a lovely lady xx gorgeous tartlets!!!
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Thanks lovely! I’ve got to see your Holy Grail recipe – will be over shortly xxx
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Ahmazing Selma! I would take 2 please. I hope you have made tonnes of these. Yumm and warming. I loved the idea of using bread to make the tartlet base. So using that soon ;). Candies walnuts, a hint of heat in that, guey cheese n crispy crust..a perfect amalgam of textures and flavors! Ooooohhhhhh yummmmm! I am so glad to have met you through FF!
Go Angie!!!!
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I’ll give you a generous helping of the candied nuts too – I’ve brought loads! Thanks for your lovely comment – it has been so lovely following your ascent into blogger stardom! “Go Angie” is exactly it!!
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Selma, thanks for the extra helping of candied walnut. It has been my pleasure to have met you :).
Blogger stardom? Selma, trying to make a small spot for my own belonging :). God had been kind so far !
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I didn’t know we could make a Tartlet with bread crumbs. That’s amazing. I sometimes become lazy at the thought of making the dough from scratch. And I really like the idea of candied walnuts on top . yummm….
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I never buy that white bread unless it is to make pastry bases! You can also cut off the crusts and roll them out really flat, cut them into circles, butter them and fit them in your tin. Using the buttery crumbs make a very crumbly crust – it wouldn’t work for a very liquid filling. Those walnuts are rather good!!
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Thank you for the nice tip. I won’t shy from making tarts now. 💕👍
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Absolutely beautiful Selma – I expect the WordPress App on your cellphone will be pinging all weekend again!
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Full disclosure – I’ve turned the volume off now! Between WP, Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp, I am going slightly insane. Much nicer to be able to focus on Fiesta Friday and just see the little bell go red! Thanks for your lovely comment : )
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This looks so good! Wow. Amazing.
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Thanks so much Amanda!
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This is my favorite dish at FF today. I can’t wait to make these tartlets. I so love your recipes Selma. Thank you, Tracey
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Tracey, thank you – that is high praise coming from you! I hope you enjoy them as much as we have – the breadcrumb crust is so easy and those walnuts – well, I would advise NOT to make them – they are just too easy to eat! Happy FF!
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You had me at ‘blue cheese’… looks amazing.
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Thanks lovely! And you could make these with GF breadcrumbs…
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Wow Selma, I have never used breadcrumbs to make a crust but I always save my bread heels and old bread and never have a scarcity of both. I will definitely try this. I love the way you plated the little tart, too, on the blue plate and with arugula around the side. Beautiful!!
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I just remembered him making it and thought that it wasn’t so different from crushed biscuits and melted butter. It makes a nice change and it’s very fast to come together too. The blue plates are my latest eBay find – they are Spode transfer ware but I’m not sure what the pattern is – I loved the greeny blue of the print. Again, no one bid so I got them (there were 2) for £2.95 plus postage – those sleepless nights can be productive sometimes! Happy Fiesta Friday x
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Haha there is a goodwill store 4 blocks from my house and you have no idea how many items I have scored there, mostly snazzy designer duds for my wardrobe!
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Oh my gosh, Selma! You have absolutely floored me with this recipe! What perfection in a pastry shell! You will find me for the rest of the evening with one of your tarts in one hand and a crisp glass of cold white in the other!! …No, I don’t care if there will be none for the other guests…Angie never wrote anything like that in her guidelines! ;-)
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HahaI You might get a bit queasy from all that cheese though the walnuts will slip down with no problem! I’m wearing a kaftan next week…thanks for hosting Julianna and Happy Fiesta Friday!
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Selma, this looks fabulous. You can bring this to my party anytime ;)
How did you get on with the breadcrumb crust? What a brilliant idea. I’m definitely going to try this, if not for those walnuts alone!
I’m going to take your advice and check out Angie’s Fiesta. That nervous feeling is how I felt about posting my first ‘In My Kitchen’ over at Celia’s. And they are such a lovely bunch!
Looking forward to meeting some new friends and sharing recipes. Thank you, Selma! Have a lovely weekend. x
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Thanks Emilie; the crust was super easy to make – I used the horrible white sliced “plastic” bread” as I call it – it crisps up so well. I am so pleased that you are going to take a look at Fiesta Friday – you will really enjoy it. It’s funny, but I never think of IMK as a linky party – it’s just such a wonderful community of people sharing a bit of their lives…Have a wonderful weekend xx
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Oh Selma, I love everything about this dish! I wouldn’t mind eating that cheese filling with a spoon. Oh shame. And, I love the way you have presented them in the tartlet with the candied walnuts. I’m saving this one!
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Hi Julie – I have to admit to a little bit of spoon and bowl licking after the tarts had been filled! The filling is just gorgeous! Happy Fiesta Friday!
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Strictly for quality control I am sure! :)
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Haha – of course! Cooking is all about tasting…
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What lovely tartlet pans Selma, and I can’t believe you got them at a $ store. Brilliant buy for sure! I need to buy some for my kitchen too, but they are pretty expensive in regular kitchen stores, now I’m out on the hunt to find them at dollar stores :). Those tarts are gorgeous, the filling looks so appetizing, and those candied walnuts is just the icing on the cake so to speak! Beautiful! Happy FF, and thanks again for introducing me to this linky party :). I haven’t joined any other parties since then, as I’m completely satisfied with this one :)
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Mostly, it’s a matter of luck but Winnipeggers love a bargain so there are always amazing things to be found in the shops – the dollar stores are just incredible! I will miss them now that Mum is in Toronto – I don’t think it’s the same there. I am so happy that you have found your niche with Fiesta Friday – it’s just brilliant, isn’t it?! Happy weekend lovely Loretta x
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I love this recipe, a savoury cheesecake, wow, pinned!
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Lily, you are making me blush – thanks so much for pinning xx
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These beautiful tarts have so many interesting parts to them. I must try the breadcrumb base – what a super way to use up breadcrumbs. Then the delicious filling accompanied by the candied nuts and dressing. Even your presentation is inspiring. A super post to be bookmarked. Happy FF and weekend Selma.
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Thanks for your lovely comments, Hilda – the breadcrumb crust is very clever – I said to Sue in the comments that it’s just like the crushed biscuits and melted butter crusts. Thanks so much for hosting, Hilda – have a wonderful Fiesta Friday and weekend too!
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Selma, first you feed Elaine, then your gorgeous Bread and today your lovely Tartelettes, busy week but absolutely wonderful recipes. These Tartelettes are just superb :)
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Linda, you know, I usually only post once or twice a week but I think I’ve posted 4 times this week including rebloggging the FF invitation post! Not like me at all – I will have run out of things come February! Thanks for your lovely comments – Happy Fiesta Friday!
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Yum. I looove blue cheese, especially with walnuts and a little sweet element, so it’s a natural to just candy the nuts. Thanks formthe delicious inspiration Selma
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Thanks Sandra – it great when an idea works out! You could make the crust with GF bread couldn’t you? Have a wonderful weekend!
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Holy smokes Selma. I need this tartlet TODAY. Its beautiful… Wonderful flavor combination… Yeah, I will be making these! ❤️❤️LOVE.
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Prudy, thank you!! I can’t wait to see your twist on it! xxx
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I have to agree Selma, this is definitely the most social and supportive link party there is, you can’t beat Fiesta Friday!
This tartlet looks so good, especially the addition of candied walnuts.
And in the spirit of sharing – when I first clicked on this entry I looked at the URL and thought it said “Selmas Stable” and I was thinking to myself “Oh look it’s a new joiner, it’s funny how their blog name is so similar to Selma’s”.. it took me a couple seconds to realise haha! I blame all the cocktails ;)
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I have actually roared at this comment, Michelle – I always see selmas stable when I look at it! Between, you, Justine, Julie and Prudy, there is not a chance in Hades that anyone who indulges, will be walking away sober from the party this week! Happy Fiesta Friday! Hic..
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Haha just the way a party should be!!
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OMG these are just so wonderful and beautifully presented Selma! I made a walnut blue cheese fresh cranberry tart over the holidays and it was awful, no one would eat it! This will inspire a retry!!!!
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Oh dear – Johanne, I cannot quite believe that you can produce anything horrible; I am sure you are exaggerating! I look forward to reading your version of these when you get round to it! They are completely delicious!
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These look so yummy, all flavours I really like – I have had something vaguely similar before and it was delicious so sure these will be too. And so agree with you about Fiesta Friday!
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Thanks Caroline – the flavours are classic combinations with a little twist with the breadcrumbs and the candied walnuts. Glad to hear that you feel the same way about Fiesta Friday as I do!
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Oh my!!!!! Wow Selma…my mouth is watering!
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Lori! I feel like I haven’t seen you about for ages – I must admit to not having the time to go through my reader as frequently as I used to. Hope you are well – I will look out for you in the link up x
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What an absolutely perfect dish to bring to Fiesta Friday #52. Blue cheese and candied walnuts go together like 2 peas in a pod! I love adding these walnuts to a salad as well. Clever idea to make a tart :)
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I’d have to make twice as many candied walnuts for any to end up on the tarts! I find them irresistible! :) This looks so delish Selma, love the combination of sweet walnuts and blue cheese.. xxx
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Thanks Celia! The walnuts are ridiculously more-ish – you have been warned! xx
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Selma these look gorgeous, delicious and easy! I am pinning them for a starter at my next dinner party.
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And they really don’t take long to assemble either which is always a bonus.
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I agree every word you wrote about FF party, Selma! So many friendly and lovely people party there, and lots of yummy recipes!
Individual tartlets is such a good snack or can be even a lunch! They look so good and tasty!
Have a lovely week!
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Thanks Mila – I look forward to seeing what you bring for FF Part 2!
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These tarts look wonderful Selma!! That combination of flavors sounds like a party in your mouth, how perfect for the FF anniversary :) Love that pretty blue plate & the fork!
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Thanks Naina – the plates were an eBay score – which I love!
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Wow! These look and sound simply delicious and are perfect for such a momentous occasion ;)
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Thanks Justine – it’s so nice to have met you via Fiesta Friday!
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I love tarts and when filled with cheese… even better. The candied walnuts looks heavenly, I will have to make this, or the walnuts alone!
I agree with you about Angie and Fiesta Friday, what a great party! :)
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Thanks Petra – the candied walnuts are addictive – don’t say I didn’t warn you!
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Selma, These are very delectable tartlets, savory cheese inside and sweet crunchy walnuts on the top. What intrigues me is the walnut dressing. Love it!
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Thanks Fae – walnut dressing is very old-school French; it was all the rage in the, ahem, 80’s!! But I think it is such a classic really and lovely on salad. I make it all the time! x
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I would love to try this using goat cheese and cane sugar! http://www.bygracecakes.com
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It would work really well with goats cheese plus some slow roasted tomatoes and basil oil instead of the walnuts and dressing. If you give it a go, come back and let me know how it went!. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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Beautiful!! I’m becoming obsessed with tartlets!! :)
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They look cute but also it becomes much easier to exercise restraint and portion control when you aren’t looking at wedges beckoning you from the serving dish!!
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I know… you can’t hide a little nibble here and there. I’m a big fan of rationing!! :)
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Selma, are amazing tarts and must be delicious . I love your blog and I’ll look more times.
I participated for the first time at the Fiesta Friday 1 and I love to participate in FF2 . Could you please help me? How do I have to do to make my recipe comes in a square and placed as yours out ?
I hope I can understand with the translator.
Thank you very much .
Mariangeles
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Thanks very much for the lovely compliments. I do know what you are asking. Are you using wordpress? If you are, there is coding that we use to get the recipe into a box that you can also print out. I will try and email you the details in a minute.
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Yes I am using WordPress,
Thank you very much for answering so quickly.
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No problem – I’ve just emailed you – email me back if you need any more help with it.
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Thanks very much.
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This is as beautiful as it is delicious, Selma! I am always drawn to anything that has blue cheese in it. Pair it with candied walnuts, and it is the stuff of my dreams. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to make it.
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