Cherry Cheesecake Tarts

Almond pastry: 1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds

1 tablespoon sugar

1 Dash salt

Maraschino cheesecake tarts: 1 package lowfat cream cheese -- softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup drained chopped cherries -- fresh or frozen

Apricot preserves

Almond pastry for tarts: mix together flour, chopped almonds, sugar, and salt. Cut butter into mixture until texture resembles coarse crumbs. Tarts: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Press 1 tablespoon almond pastry into 2 1/2 inch tart pans. Prick pastry with fork. Bake 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice, lemon peel and almond extract and blend well. Spoon 1 teaspoon cherries over pastry. Pour cream cheese mixture over cherries. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 12-15 minutes or until cream cheese layer is set. Cool completely before removing from tart pans. Top each tart with warmed apricot preserves.