Fresh Berry Tart

Ingredients

For the Tart Crust

Ingredients

·       1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

·       ½ teaspoon kosher salt

·       1 stick (8 TBs) of cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

·       ¼ cup ice water

·       ¼ cup of sugar (optional; used for a tart)

For the Cheese Filling

·       8 oz mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese); room temperature

·       10-ounce jar lemon curd

·       1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Topping

·       1 cup each of fresh raspberries, blueberries and blackberries (or whatever fruit is in season) for a total of 3 cups of fresh fruit

·       powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions 

For the crust

1.     In a food processor or a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt (if you only have salted butter, do not add additional salt). 

2.     Add the butter pieces and pulse until the butter is the size of peas.

3.     Add the water while pulsing until the dough gathers up on the sides of the bowl. 

4.     Flour a cutting board or work surface.

5.     Knead the dough into a ball, cut it in two, form each half into a disk.

6.     Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes)

7.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees

8.     Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to fit the size of the baking pan; be sure to flour the rolling pin

9.     Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a greased rectangular tart pan with removable bottom

10. Prick the bottom with a fork

11. Freeze the crust for 15-30 minutes to prevent the crust from shrinking while baking

12. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and evenly cooked

13. Remove from the oven and let the crust cool completely

For the Cheese Filling

1.     Place the mascarpone cheese and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until smooth

2.     Fold in the lemon curd

3.     Spread the cheese mixture over the tart shell and spread evenly with an offset spatula

4.     Place the tart in the freezer and allow the mixture to set (about 15-30 minutes) until firm

5.     Place the berries evenly on top of the cheese filling

6.     Dust with powdered sugar

7.     Serve

Yields:  1 tart (8 servings)

Equipment setup

1.      Food processor

2.      Bench scraper

3.      Plastic wrap

4.      Cutting board

5.      Chef knife

6.      Rectangular Tart Pan w/removable bottom

7.      Whisk

8.      Medium mixing bowl

9.      Rubber spatula

10.   Offset spatula

11.   Cooling rack