Chocolate Cherry Tarts

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 square baking chocolate -- melted
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup maraschino cherries -- finely chopped
24 maraschino cherry halves

Cream butter and sugar; blend in melted chocolate. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Sift dry ingredients together and blend into chocolate mixture. Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut circles with 3-inch cookie cutter and place in buttered tartlet pans or shallow muffin tins.

Blend cream cheese, sugar, and egg; fold in chopped cherries. Place 1 tablespoon filling in each tart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, top with cherry half. Chill.

Yield: approximately 2 dozen tarts.