Cinnamon Roasted Parsnip and Lemon Chèvre Cheesecake Tarts

Ask your guests to guess what is the secret ingredient in these cheesecake tarts. Parsnips have that baker’s-cupboard fragrance when simply roasted, and this recipe just enhances what nature already has given this root vegetable.

Crust

2 cups (500 mL) crunchy oatmeal cookie crumbs
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Roasted Parsnips

2 medium parsnips
½ cup (125 mL) golden brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter

Lemon Chèvre

4 oz (125 g) fresh chèvre (goat cheese)
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF (160ºC) and lightly grease six 4-inch (10-cm) removable-bottom fluted tart shells.

2. To make crust, combine cookie crumbs, salt and melted butter until blended. Press ⅓ cup (75 mL) of crust mixture into each prepared tart tin, place on a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes. Let cool.

3. To make parsnips, peel parsnips and trim off ends. With a vegetable peeler, peel long shavings of parsnip (peel as many as you can until you reach the core). Toss parsnip “ribbons” with brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon and place in a small baking dish. Dot parsnips with butter, cover dish and roast until parsnips are tender, about 20 minutes. Once cool, arrange parsnips ribbons in the bottoms of cooled tart shells.

4. To make lemon chèvre, beat chèvre with sugar, then stir in lemon juice, zest and egg. Spoon mixture over parsnips, spreading to cover. Bake tarts for 15 to 18 minutes, until set, then cool to room temperature. Chill cheesecake tarts for at least 3 hours before serving.

Makes six 4-inch (10-cm) tarts