Fresh Fruit Tart
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Fresh Fruit Tart
Be sure to dock the dough well to avoid excess puffing.
I love fresh fruit.
I love dessert.
I love this dessert.
This tart is best with a homemade shortbread crust, but if you’re in a pinch for time, you can use a pre-made pie crust. I like the Trader Joe’s frozen pie crust – it’s more natural than other brands, and I’ve had pretty good luck with it.
Bake the tart crust according to the recipe or directions on the packet.
Have ready to go some finely chopped dark or white chocolate to sprinkle on the crust immediately after removing from the oven. Evenly distribute the chocolate onto the hot crust, wait one to two minutes to allow to melt, then gently smooth to the edges with a knife or spatula. Allow to cool completely.
While the tart shell is baking, prepare the filling. Whisk together about 3/4 cup each of Mascarpone cheese and non-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey, and the zest of one lemon. Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or two, or up to overnight.
The crust and/or filling can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Keep them separate – don’t fill the shell until right before assembling the tart.
Depending on the type of fruit you want to use, you’ll want to prepare it shortly before assembling and serving the tart. Whole berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries should be rinsed and drained well before assembling. Cut fruit should be sliced right before assembling and serving the tart.
To assemble the tart, spoon the filling into the prepared crust and gently spread to the edges of the crust. Top with your choice of fruit, arranged attractively, of course.
If you’re going to prepare the tart ahead of time, especially if you are using cut fruit, you can glaze it to help keep the fruit fresh-looking. When possible, I prefer to assemble the tart just before serving so I don’t glaze the fruit. A really simple way to do it is to heat up some apple jelly a bit to make it “liquidy” and simply brush a little bit of it onto the cut fruit with a pastry brush. Just be sure to glaze very lightly or it can become cloyingly sweet. What I like about this recipe is that it is fairly light and not too sweet.
You can make it even a little lighter by using a low fat cream cheese, but I really prefer the taste of the Mascarpone cheese.
This tart is a wonderful excuse to take a trip to your local Farmers’ Market to pick up some beautiful fresh local fruit – go get inspired! Enjoy!