Serves: 5
Total Calories: 1,199
Yield: 48
Prep time: n/a
Cook time: 14-20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Cream Cheese Pastry:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup light cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Damson (plum) preserves

For Cream Cheese Pastry:
Mix cream cheese and butter; add flour 1/2 cup at a time, blending thoroughly. Use your fingers to mix it well. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour or more.

For Filling:
Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs. Mix cornmeal with flour and add other ingredients except preserves. Beat well.

Pinch off small pieces of pastry and form into balls about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Put in 1 1/2-inch greased muffin pans and press dough evenly to line the bottom and sides. Fill half full, and bake at 350° for 14–20 minutes till filling is brown around the edge. Remove from pans and place on rack to cool. Top each tart with a tiny bit of damson preserves. These freeze well.


Though the origin is debatable, one commonly stated theory is that damsons were first cultivated in antiquity in the area around the ancient city of Damascus, capital of modern-day Syria, and were introduced into England by the Romans. If you can’t find something that says “damson,” any plum preserves—or any other flavor, for that matter—will work just fine.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 5
Total Calories: 1,199
Calories from Fat: 779

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