Strawberry Tart

This is one of the easiest tarts that I make and it always turns out perfect. You literally can't mess up this simple tart.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups of flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 large containers of fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the crust ingredients in a medium sized bowl until a dough ball  forms. Press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes.

Let the crust cool completely. Meanwhile mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until they are completely combined and spread the mixture over the cooled crust.

Wash and hull the strawberries. Start thinly slicing the strawberries.

Starting from the outside start layering the strawberries.

Keep layering the strawberries until the tart is complete. Add a few small whole strawberries into the tart

Berfore serving sprinkle with the shelled pistachios. Add a small dollop of whipped cream next to the tart slice. I have used homemade whipped cream and whipped cream from a can. It just depends!

This is such an easy tart to make and fresh strawberries always scream summer!

Red, White and Blue Fruit Tart

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fruit:

raspberries

blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crust ingredients until it starts make a dough. Press the dough into a tart pan and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 12 minutes.

Once the tart shell comes out of the oven let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Then combine the filling ingredients with a hand mixer or immersion blender. Once the filling is smooth spread it over the the cooled crust.

Starting with the outside start the fruit design. 

Store the fruit tart in the refrigerator. Take the tart out 15 or 20 minutes before serving. 

To serve cut into pizza slice wedges. The fruit tart will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Happy 4th of July! And God bless America!

Easy Lemon Tarts

I made these cute little lemon tarts for after the tennis match on Monday. One of my teammates actually asked me if I was a chef.  No, Kathleen I am not a trained chef!

Ingredients:

Shortbread pastry shells (store-bought)

Lemon curd (store-bought)

Small piece of fruit  (blueberry, blackberry or raspberry)

Small mint leaves

Directions:

Lay out the short bread pastry shells on a large white platter.

I find these pastry shells in the baking section near the pre made graham cracker crusts. 

Fill each little shortbread shell with the lemon curd.  The lemon curd is often near the peanut butter and jelly or in the baking section near the pre made crusts.

Put a small piece of fruit in the middle of each lemon tart. Today I used blueberries. But in the past I have used raspberries and blackberries. 

Next to each blueberry put a tiny sprig of mint. You can throw this dessert together in minutes!

And the tennis teams loved them!

Red, White and Blue Fruit Tart

I love making fruit tarts! I make them all summer - each fruit tart looks and tastes different depending on the type of fruit that  you use.

This is a simple recipe and you probably have everything that you need in your cupboard and fridge.

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups butter, room temperature

Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

fresh fruit

blueberries

raspberries

watermelon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the confectioner's sugar, flour and butter until it starts to make a dough. Then press the dough into a round tart pan. Bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes.

While the dough is baking wash and dry your fruit and cut the watermelon stars.

In order to cut the watermelon stars - cut thin slices of watermelon and use a small star shaped cookie cutter to cut out the stars.

Once the crust is baked - make the filling by combining the cream cheese, granulated star and vanilla. I use an immersion blender. Once the filling is creamy spread it all over the tart.

Starting from the outside start adding the fruit.

Keep adding fruit until the entire tart is covered.

I left a lot of the white filling showing because - the theme for this fruit tart was red, white and blue. Place tart in the refrigerator and take it out about 20 minutes before serving.

This tart can be cut into pizza like wedges. Keep this tart in the fridge for up to three days - although I doubt it will last that long.

I Love Making Fruit Tarts

I decided to use my rectangle tart pan to make my fruit tart!

Each time I make a fruit tart - I use a different combination of fresh fruit.  While the crust is baking I wash and cut the fruit and make the filling.

Under the labels section on the right hand side - click on fruit tart. This will bring you to the recipe.

This would make a wonderful dessert to bring to a BBQ or serve for Mother's Day.

Baseball Food For Opening Day

I made two types of croissant sandwiches - chicken salad and turkey with cheese. In the baseball bowl is an orzo salad (click on pasta salad under labels and scroll down to the recipe).

I also made fruit skewers and a fruit tart. These recipes are also under labels under fruit kabobs and fruit tarts.

In the baseball bucket at the end of the Opening Day buffet is filled with baggies of ruffles tied with ribbon.

And that is our Opening Day Food! Oh no! I forgot to show you the baseball cookies.

I made these using a sugar cookie recipe - frosted them with melted white chocolate and piped on the red laces - super easy! I make these cookies every year - if you click on the baseball label and scroll down - it will show you the cookies step by step.

I hope your team wins! We are rooting for the Angels! This also would be a great tailgate picnic!

Rainbow Fruit Tart - Perfect for St. Patricks Day

i always use a different fruit combination each time I make a fruit tart. This is the first time that I have used mandarin oranges.

To find the recipe for the fruit tart - click on the fruit tart under labels and it will take you to the recipe .

I think this would be a perfect rainbow themed dessert to serve for St. Patrick's Day. And I always end my St. Patrick's Day posts with an Irish Blessing. Sooo....

May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.

I Love Making Fruit Tarts

I made a rectangle shaped Fruit Tart! I like to use different sized tart pans. I usually use this rectangle pan for a tomato based tart. But I was looking for my round tart pan and I realized that it would be fun to use my rectangle tart pan.

Ingredients:


CRUST

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

 1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup butter, room temperature


FILLING

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract



FRUIT

Kiwi

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries

This is a tricky way to have your kids eat more fruit. Use their favorite fruit and make a beautiful design. After I made this tart I saw some fantastic peaches. Perhaps I will make a tart with fresh peach slices next week.

Directions:

To make the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a pastry blender blend the confectioner's sugar, flour and butter until a dough forms. Press the dough into the tart pan and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To make the filling:

Using a mixer combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth. Spread the filling over the cooled crust.

Adding the fruit:

Wash and  dry your fruit. Cut the strawberries and kiwi into equal sized slices. Start making a design.with the fresh fruit.

Isn't this the easiest recipe? it is perfect to serve at a mid morning brunch or evening BBQ.

I Can't Stop Making Fruit Tarts!

For the recipe see the Fruit Tart post on June 1, 2012. Every time I make a Fruit Tart it turns out a little different.

I always make a fun design with my fruit! This time I lined the edges with a blueberry and raspberry pattern.

My husband loves pineapple - so I added a big pineapple ring! I will probably be making fruit tarts all summer!

Use your favorite fruit! Perfect for a BBQ or brunch. I eat the leftovers for breakfast!

Raspberry and Pineapple Fresh Fruit Tart

I made another Fruit Tart! Except that I changed up the fruit!

Using the same recipe from the post on June 1, 2012 - I created a different Fruit Tart!

Because this time I used fresh pineapple and raspberries. I still used the kiwi and blueberries - but this tart really does have a different look and taste!

I love making Fruit Tarts! You can really be creative with your fruit choices and any leftover fruit makes a wonderful fruit salad or fruit kabobs.

Let me know if you make a fresh Fruit Tart!

Fresh Fruit Tart

 

This is really easy to make - you can use your favorite fruit! I will probably post another fruit tart over the summer with pineapple and raspberries. Be creative!

Ingredients:

Crust

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup butter, room temperature

 Crust Directions -

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a pastry blender, keep pressing until a dough forms. You could also make this dough in the food processor. But I really hate cleaning my food processor and our grandmother's did not have food processors. They used pastry blenders!

Press the dough into a 12-inch tart pan with the removable bottom.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until the crust is very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Filing

 8 ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Then spread it evenly over the cooled crust.

Fruit Topping

Kiwi
Strawberries
Blueberries
Blackberries

Wash and cut the fruit. Try to find strawberries in the same size and cut them in half.  First I made a circle of kiwi, then strawberries. I filled in the extra area with blueberries. The I added the blackberries, and an extra row of strawberries filled in blueberries. So simple!

I did not use a glaze over the fruit. I think this fruit tart is perfect without a glaze. Make this for your next BBQ. Everyone will love it!