Oh, how I love all the beautiful, fresh fruit that reaches its prime in summer! From the luscious strawberries that mark the start of the season, to the flavorful peaches and blackberries that make the heat of July and August a bit more bearable, I adore them all!
As delicious as fresh fruit is on its own, these summer sweet gems lend themselves so nicely to being transformed into beautiful desserts!
Here in the central valley of California, we are so privileged to live in the heart of farmland. Throughout the week, I have my choice of at least 6 different local farmer’s markets, just a few miles in any direction from my home. I love preparing a loose menu plan for the week, then allowing the fresh produce available to dictate my final decisions. When it comes to desserts, I love recipes that can be easily adapted to include a variety of fresh fruit. This simple fruit tart is a perfect base to show off beautiful summer fruit! The lightly sweet crust, and sweet and tangy filling are the perfect complement to a variety of fruit. This time I used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Other good choices would be blackberries, cherries, plums, and kiwi.
This tart includes a sweet, cookie-like crust, creamy lemon filing and can be topped with any assortment of fruit you like.
Yield: Yields 8 servings
Cookie Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
Lemon Filling
1/2 cup lemon curd (storebought or homemade)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
Fresh fruit of your choosing (2-3 cups)
Crust-
Prepare the crust by mixing all the ingredients until a dough forms (using a mixer or food processor).
Press dough as evenly as possible into an ungreased 10" tart pan.
Place tart pan (with dough) in the freezer about 1o minutes. Remove from freezer, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a pre-heated 400*F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until light brown. Allow to cool.
Filling-
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add lemon curd, and continue beating, until fully incorporated and smooth. Spread over cooled cookie crust, and refrigerate 1 hour (loosely covered) until filling is slightly firm.
Arrange fresh berries or assorted summer fruits over lemon filling.
If desired, brush fruit with warmed red currant, or apple jelly, for a shiny appearance.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 4 hours).
Recipe Source- Final recipe by Glorious Treats, based on a recipe by Betty Crocker