Make the tart shells: Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl to combine. Be
sure to remove any lumps.
Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the egg and vanilla. Mix again to incorporate, scraping down the sides as you go. Add the flour all at once and mix on low speed until just combined.
Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a disc shape. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to three days.
Make the cheese filling: Fill a pot with 3 inches of water and bring to a boil over high
heat. Combine the cream cheese, mascarpone, Parmesan, milk, and butter in a tempered glass or metal bowl. Place the bowl over the pot to make a bain-marie (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water), reduce the heat to medium-high, and allow the cheeses to melt, stirring occasionally. While you wait, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Prepare the other filling ingredients while you wait for the cheese to melt.
When the cheese has melted, add the confectioners sugar and cornstarch a little at a time, whisking to bring everything together, then cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture has thickened to a puddinglike consistency. Add the egg and lemon juice and whisk briskly to incorporate, then cook, stirring the cheese as it thickens, until it reaches 150°F. Remove the bowl from the pot and whisk in the vanilla, then taste and add salt if needed. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove lingering lumps. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly against the surface of the cheese mixture to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until cool, at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Roll out the tart dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 1⁄8 inch, dusting with flour as necessary to stop sticking. Cut rounds of dough that are about 1/2 inch bigger than the tart molds. Press the dough into each mold and prick the bottoms with a fork to prevent bubbling. Place the tart shells on a baking sheet so they’re easy to maneuver into and out of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the tart shell is golden brown all over. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before filling. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F.
Transfer the cheese mixture to a pastry bag. Cut the tip of the bag, then pipe a generous amount of filling into each tart shell. Use a small palette knife (or the back of a butter knife) to smooth and flatten the tops. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely.
Decorate the tarts: I used fondant, but sprinkles can work. Use two large round black
sprinkles for the eyes, a small yellow sprinkle for the nose, and black sprinkles for the whiskers. For the bow, use red fondant or a moldable red candy: Roll it into a pill shape and use the pointy end of a chopstick to press a dot into the candy at either end, then use the pointy end of two chopsticks to pinch in the middle of the bow. Finally, roll a little ball of red fondant or candy into a circle and place it over the pinched middle of the bow. Serve and enjoy.
Pokemon Monster Swiss Roll (Courtesy Simon & Schuster)
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Pokemon Monster Swiss Roll (Courtesy Simon & Schuster)