Cook's Catalyst - Chapter 19 - Your Just Desserts

Cook's Catalyst Chapter Nineteen Your Just Desserts Knowing your way around the assembly of a butter tart crust, opens up many possibilities when fresh fruit is in season. The crust can be baked ahead and frozen until needed. It is like having a secret treasure at your disposal when you need a dessert. This is definitely a Spring/Summer recipe when the fruits are in season. Remember, you can use the fruits you want on the tart. The recipe is just a basic suggestion open to all kinds of creative possibilities. Fresh Fruit Tart One baked pastry tart (bake on a round pizza pan and crimp the edges) 1 8 ounce package cream cheese 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract Four peeled and thinly sliced Kiwis Approximately 1 ½ cups of thinly sliced strawberries About one cup fresh blueberries Three peaches, peeled and thinly sliced and dribbled with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning Whip together the cream cheese, sugar and extracts until fluffy. Spread evenly over the cold pastry shell. Beginning with the outside edge of the tart, arrange your fruit, alternating as you complete each circle around. Use your imagination and the colors of the fruit to your creative advantage! Refrigerate until serving. The cream cheese is satisfying and the fruit, a taste of summer. If you have the time, include your older children in assembling the tarts. Think how much fun they will have showing off their artistic endeavors in the kitchen.