White Chocolate Tartlets with Strawberries

Pastry: In large bowl, combine flour, salt and nutmeg. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and shortening until in fine crumbs. In 1-cup (250 mL) liquid measure, whisk egg yolk with vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup (75 mL). Sprinkle over flour mixture, stirring briskly with fork until pastry holds together. Gather into ball; press into disc. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.) Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness. Using 4-inch (10 cm) fluted round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles, rerolling scraps if necessary. Fit into 2-3/4- x 1-1/4-inch (7 x 3 cm) tartlet or muffin cups. Prick bottoms all over with fork. Freeze for 30 minutes. Bake in bottom third of 400°F (200°C) oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

White Chocolate Ganache Filling: Meanwhile, in heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with cream, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Divide among prepared tartlet shells. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.)

Cut each strawberry in half lengthwise; thinly slice each lengthwise almost but not all the way through to top. Press slightly to fan slices; place each on tartlet. Melt jam with 1 tsp (5 mL) water; brush over tartlets. Garnish with mint.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: June 2003