Berry Tart




Buttery crust, rich creamy filling, and juicy ripe berries—this is what you want in a berry tart, right?
Look no further. This is the tart. As my father says, “don’t change a thing.”
It’s actually much easier to make than it looks!
First the crust. It needs to be firm enough to hold the tart, but not so firm that it is tough and chewy. (Who wants a chewy crust? Yikes!)
The perfect tart crust is similar to a butter pie crust, but with the addition of powdered sugar, and little vanilla, and an egg.
No need to roll it out. You can just press the crumbly dough mixture directly into the pan. Then you pre-bake the crust until golden brown.

Then comes the filling. We are whipping up mascarpone cheese (a slightly acidic Italian cream cheese) with whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a touch of orange zest for sparkle.
(By the way, if you’re in a crust free mood, this filling is so good just put it in a bowl, top it with berries, and add a splash of Amaretto.)
Finally, the berries. I admit my decorating chops aren’t quite Martha level, but whatever. Arrange the berries on top of the mascarpone filled crust and top with some melted jelly to make them glisten. Gorgeous!

Berry Tart Recipe

Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Crust freezing time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
The crust will have more flavor if it is browned, than blond.

Ingredients:

Tart Crust
  • 1 1/2 cup (200 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (50 g) powdered sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp (10 Tbsp or 140 g) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
  • 1 cup (8 oz) mascarpone cheese
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup (43 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 oz (85 g) raspberries
  • 8 oz (225 g) blueberries
  • 8 oz (225 g) strawberries - stems removed and halved or quartered
  • 4 Tbsp (60 ml) apricot jelly or orange marmalade
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • Equipment needed: Food processor, a 10-inch wide, 1-inch high fluted tart pan with a removable bottom



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