Savory Bacon Cranberry Cheese Tartlets

Savory Bacon Cranberry Cheese Tartlets-

Savory Bacon Cranberry Cheese Tartlets are a delightfully tasty appetizer that is gluten-free, low carb, and grain-free. Simple to prepare and has become quite a big hit with my family and holiday guests.

This recipe is sponsored by Mahon Menorca Cheese.

These savory bacon cranberry cheese tarts are a winner with a buttery almond pie crust and a filling made with bacon, dried cranberries, and the oh so delicious, melted Semi-Cured Mahon Menorca Cheese with a sprinkle of fresh thyme.

First, we need to talk about cheese. I love cheese, and it’s the one reason why I can’t consistently stay on a strict paleo diet.

Also, it is one of the main reasons why I love the low carb and keto diet because I can have cheese, as it is nearly carb-free. Oh, cheese, I just can’t quit you!

I truly have no regrets in saying “yes” to sampling the Mahon Menorca Cheese and creating a recipe for them using their lovely cheese.

What I didn’t realize when they sent me the cheese, is how special it is and how much I would become obsessed with it.

The hubby and I love Mahon Menorca Cheese even more than Brie (sorry Brie, we still love you, but there is a new cheese in town).

The History of  Mahon Menorca Cheese:

Mahon Menorca Cheese is a P.G.O product (Protected Guarantee of Origin), which is a product very closely related to a geographic area where the product is produced: the island of Minorca.

Climate, temperature, humidity, light, soil conditions, etc, together with a human element, production processes, and traditional maturing processes which all contribute to the aroma and taste of this special cheese.

Mahon Menorca cheese is from the island of Minorca, which is one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain.

The history of cheese-making on the island of Minorca goes back to very long ago, including prehistory according to archaeologists.

The Mahon Menorca cheese is still made by using many of the very old cheese-making practices.

Mahon Menorca Cheeses are a freshly pressed paste cheese with rounded edges and corners and parallelepiped shape. They use milk that is from freshly milked cows.

Mahon Menorca Cheese is  available in 3 delicious varieties:

1. Tender: A soft, yellowish-white colored cheese very little crust. Soft and creamy texture with a milky buttery flavor and an acidulous touch. ( 21- 60 days).
2. Semi-Cured:  A firm but easy to cut cheese with an ivory color and an orange crust. It has a milky tasty and more developed flavors with a buttery nutty taste. (2-5 months).
3. Cured: A firm, hard, mature cheese that has a very developed flavor, aroma, and a complex intense aftertaste. Hints of old wood, tanned leather or a wine cellar. A treat for cheese connoisseurs. (more than 5 months).

I was so relieved when I found out that the Mahon Menorca Cheese is available in the USA and can be purchased at these stores and shops:

Fairway, West Side Market, Gourmet Garage, Saveway, Wholefoods, Kroger, Costco, Central Markets, Central and Town & Country Markets.

(Some of the stores are in my area, yay! I thought I might have to move to Spain).

Learn More about Mahon Menorca Cheese:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MahonCheese/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MahonCheese

Savory Bacon Cranberry Cheese Tartlets Recipe-

Ingredients:

Tart Crust:

• 2 cups blanched almond flour, fine ground
• 1 lg egg
• ⅓ cup butter melted
• ⅛ tsp sea salt

Filling:

• 6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
• 6 ounces (about 1 ½ cups) Mahon Menorca Semi-Cured Cheese, cubed
• ½ cup unsweetened or sugar-free dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• ⅛ tsp sea salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper *optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) and grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine tart crust ingredients: almond flour, egg,  melted butter and sea salt. Mix until dough forms.
3. Form dough into 12 balls using your hands. Place each dough ball into each prepared muffin cup.
4. Using a small glass or cup that fits in the muffin cup, press dough ball down and turn to make a depression and form the tart crust. * see photos below directions.
5. Once all the tarts crusts are shaped, bake the crusts by themselves at 375 F (190 C) for 7 minutes until lightly golden. Remove crusts from oven.
6. Fill partially baked crusts with chopped cooked bacon, cubed Mahon Menorca cheese, and dried cranberries. Sprinkle with tartlets with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves.
7. Bake tartlets at 375 F (190 C) for  10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Using a butter knife between the tartlet crust and muffin cups, slide the knife around the edges tartlets and lift to remove each tart and serve. *Printable recipe card at bottom of post.*

Nutritional Data: Yield: 12 Servings,  Serving size: 1 tartlet, Amount per serving: Cal: 239, Total Carbs: 6 g, Net Carbs: 3 g,  Fiber: 3 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Protein: 9 g, Sugars: 2 g.

Savory Bacon Cranberry Cheese Tartlets

Stacey

A savory, low carb, and tasty bacon cranberry Mahon Menorca Cheese tartlet with a sprinkle of thyme leaves.

4.5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 7 mins

Cook Time 17 mins

Total Time 24 mins

Course Appetizer, gluten free, low carb, tartlets

Cuisine appetizers

Servings 12

Calories 239 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Tart Crust:

• 2 cups blanched almond flour fine ground
• 1 lg egg
• ⅓ cup butter melted
• ⅛ tsp sea salt

Filling:

• 6 slices bacon cooked and chopped
• 6 ounces about 1 ½ cups Mahon Menorca Semi-Cured Cheese, cubed
• ½ cup unsweetened or sugar-free dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• ⅛ tsp sea salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper *optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) and grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
• In a large mixing bowl combine tart crust ingredients: almond flour, egg, melted butter and sea salt. Mix until dough forms.
• Form dough into 12 balls using your hands. Place each dough ball into each prepared muffin cup.
• Using a small glass or cup that fits in a muffin cup, press dough ball down and turn to make a depression and form the tartlet crust. * see photo
• Once all the tarts crusts are shaped, bake the crusts by themselves at 375 F (190 C) for 7 minutes until lightly golden. Remove crusts from oven.
• Fill partially baked crusts with chopped cooked bacon, cubed Mahon Menorca cheese, and dried cranberries. Sprinkle with tartlets with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves.
• Bake tartlets at 375 F (190 C) for 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Using a butter knife between the tartlet crust and muffin cups, slide the knife around the edges tartlets and lift to remove each tart and serve.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Notes

*all nutritional data are estimates based on the products I used*  Yield: 12 Servings. Serving Size: 1 tartlet

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 9gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 2g

Keyword low carb appetizers, savory bacon cranberry cheese tartlets

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