Summer Berry Tart

I made this tart over the weekend for a dinner with family thinking it would be a great summer dessert. Well, not only was it a great summer dessert, it was delicious! The crust was just like a shortbread cookie, the filling is light with a little bit of orange flavor and the berries on top just put it over the edge! I found the recipe on Simply Recipes, you can find it HERE.

Start by making the crust in the food processor - Pulse 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of salt together.

Add in 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of chilled butter cut into cubes to the food processor. Pulse the butter in until it forms a coarse meal.

Add in 1 lightly beaten egg and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and pulse the crust together until it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and hold together.

Butter the inside of a tart plate - mine is 9 inches in diameter and 1 inch deep. Then, press the crust into the bottom of the plate. Put the crust in the freezer for one hour before baking it.

When the crust comes out of the freezer, line it with aluminum foil and fill it with dry beans or pie weights. Bake the crust for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. After 20 minutes, remove the crust from the oven and pour the beans or weights into a mixing bowl to cool down. Use a fork to poke some holes in the bottom of the crust then put the crust back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. The crust should be golden brown when you remove it from the oven. Set the crust aside and start working on the filling.

Use an electric mixer to combine 1 cup of mascarpone cheese with 1/4 cup of cold heavy cream, 1/3 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of orange zest (the original recipe calls for 1 teaspoon but I increased it to 1 tablespoon for a stronger orange flavor) and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

The filling should be whipped together for about 40 - 60 seconds until stiff peaks form. The crust should be completely cooled before you put the filling in it. I stored the filling in an air tight container overnight and filled the crust the next day. This worked out really well!

Spoon the filling into the crust and spread it so that the top is even. Then, cut up about 1 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of blueberries (you could substitute in or add in any other kind of berries you like!)

Place the berries across the top of the tart - you could choose to arrange the berries in a pattern or you could just pile the berries in the center.

I recommend serving the tart soon after you've arranged the berries in the top.

SUMMER BERRY TART

ingredients
for the crust...
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons very cold butter, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the filling...
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the top...
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries
**You can add in or substitute in any other kind of berry

directions
1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, icing sugar and salt. Add in the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Finally add in the egg and the vanilla extract and pulse until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the dish and hold together.
2. Butter the inside of a tart dish and press the crust into the bottom of the dish. Place the crust in the freezer for 1 hour.
3. When the crust comes out of the freezer, line it with tinfoil and fill it with dry beans or pie weights. Bake the crust with the pie weights in for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. After 20 minutes, remove the crust from the oven and lift the tinfoil by its edges to transfer the beans or pie weights to a bowl to cool. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust before putting it back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
4. While the crust is cooling, make the filling by combining the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, icing sugar, orange zest and vanilla extract with an electric mixer. Mix the filling together for about 40-60 seconds until stiff peaks form.
5. When the crust is completely cool, spoon the filling into the bottom of the crust. Use a spoon to spread the filling around the crust and even out the top.
6. Arrange berries along the top of the filling or pile them in the center. Keep the tart refrigerated until you serve it!

I hope you get the chance to enjoy this yummy treat during the summer!