Berry Cream Cheese Tart

This is a very adaptable recipe that will work well with almost any type of fruit. Want to lighten it up a bit, try fresh fruit instead of a pie filling. You can make an amazing patriotic dessert for the Fourth of July by using fresh strawberries and blueberries.

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

Nut Crust:
1/2 cup roasted, finely chopped nuts (pecans, almonds and walnuts are my favorites)
1-1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1-1/2 sticks of REAL SALTED BUTTER, softened

Cream Cheese Filling:
6 oz of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I think you can safely reduce this to 1/8 cup)
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract

Directions

~*~NUT CRUST~*~
Roast your nuts before you chop them – throw ’em in a heated cast iron skillet and toss around for a couple of minutes. Let cool. Chop.

Combine flour, sugar, nuts, and butter – mix until it forms a ball. Pat ball of dough into a tart pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let cool before filling.

~*~FILLING~*~
Cream together cream cheese, vanilla/extract, and powdered sugar, set aside. Beat heavy cream and granulated sugar until soft peaks are formed. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Spoon mixture into cooled tart crust. Top with 1 can of your favorite pie filling or homemade pie filling. Chill for a couple of hours before serving.

*If you decide on a refreshing lemony taste, try fresh squeezed lemon juice instead of the extract and toss in some zest.

Categories: Desserts, Tarts

Submitted by: staci on May 29, 2010