Berry Tarts Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Using a 4-in. round cookie cutter, cut 12 circles, rerolling scraps as necessary. Press circles onto bottoms and up sides of ungreased muffin cups., Mix sugar and cornstarch; toss with berries and lemon juice. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each cup. Bake on a lower oven rack until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 24-26 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack; cool completely., For topping, beat cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, mix lemon curd, sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon whipped cream; fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon over filling. If desired, top with fresh berries. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until a soft dough forms. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared pan; prick with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool; do not turn oven off.
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar; mix until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs; blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice; mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into cooled tart shell.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling has set, about 25 minutes. Chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour. Top with berries and garnish with mint.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Combine eggs, water and lemon juice until smooth; drizzle over flour mixture. Toss with a fork until mixture is moist enough to shape into a ball (dough will be sticky). Divide in half; shape into balls and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator; let stand 15 minutes before rolling. , On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into 3-in. circles. Ease into 2-in. tart pans, pressing pastry onto the bottom and sides of pan. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Cool. , Place three to four berries in each shell. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour and lemon zest. Stir in sour cream and egg yolk. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling over berries. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is set. Cool in pans for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

Steps:

• For the crust: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, egg and cream; beat until incorporated. Add the flour and beat until a dough comes together. Form the dough into a disc and then press it evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; if necessary, use a piece of plastic wrap to help keep the dough from sticking. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the tart crust with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until the edges of the crust look set and just barely golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights, and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown all over, about 20 minutes more. Cool completely.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer until soft and very creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cream and continue beating until the mixture holds stiff peaks, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the cooled tart shell and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with the berries.
• Combine the apricot preserves and a splash of water in a small bowl and microwave until warm, about 45 seconds. Strain through a sieve into another bowl. Gently brush or spoon the apricot glaze over the berries.
• Serve the tart immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Pulse the flour, pecans, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Drizzle in 6 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Lightly flour a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the dough on the parchment into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Trim into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle (reserve the scraps). Cut into eight 3-by-4-inch rectangles. Separate the pieces slightly on the parchment, then use your fingers to crimp the edges. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet. Roll out the scraps until 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 8 stars using a small floured star-shaped cookie cutter; arrange on the baking sheet around the crusts. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Poke holes in the crusts with a fork. Brush the stars and the edges of the crusts with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk, the egg yolks, cornstarch and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Lay plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate 45 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the crusts to a platter. Spread the pastry cream on the crusts, then top with the berries. Top each tart with a star. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Whisk flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into the flour mixture using a fork or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal or small peas. Sprinkle water over the flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, and use a fork to pull the mixture together until a dough is formed.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and work quickly to mold it into a large ball. Press into a 5-inch disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Roll cold dough onto a lightly floured surface into a large 14-inch circle with a thickness of 1/4 inch. Gently fold dough in half and transfer to a 10-inch tart pan. Unfold dough, press into the bottom and sides of the pan, and trim any extra dough to fit neatly. Prick dough with the tines of a fork and lay a sheet of parchment paper over top. Place pie weights or dried beans on top of the parchment paper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove pie weights or beans and parchment paper, and bake until golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Meanwhile, combine mascarpone cheese, cream, creme fraiche, and pudding mix for filling in a medium bowl. Beat with a whisk attachment until still peaks form. Fill cooled tart shell with filling, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Place berries in a decorative arrangement on top of filling. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, salt and sugar. Process by pulsing on and off once.
• Add to that mixture the butter and shortening. Process, pulsing on and off about eight times, or until the mixture looks like lumpy cornmeal.
• Sprinkle the water evenly around the butter-flour mixture and process, pulsing, for five seconds.
• Empty the mixture out onto a pastry board or work surface. With the heel of your hand, start working the dough together by pushing it against the board and away from you bit by bit. Do this two or three times, or until the dough blends together and does not stick to the board. Be careful not to overwork the dough, which will make it tough. Gather the dough together in a ball, wrap the ball loosely with plastic wrap, then flatten it slightly to form a thick disk. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
• Roll out the dough and place in a 10-inch tart shell. Refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prick the pastry here and there with a fork or knife tip. Line the pastry shell with foil, then fill with weights or dried beans to keep the dough from rising.
• Bake the pastry shell for eight minutes, or until it is set. Then remove the weights and the foil, and return the pastry to the oven. Bake an additional eight to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Let cool on a cake rack.
• Meanwhile, make the almond pastry cream by beating the egg yolks with the sugar, using an electric mixer or whisk. Beat until the mixture is pale, thick and forms a ribbon. As you do this, put the milk in a medium-sized pot over medium heat and bring to the boil.
• Add the flour to the egg mixture, stirring gently until smooth. Then add the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously all the time.
• Return the mixture to the pot and heat over a medium flame, whisking continuously. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens, almost to the consistency of a pudding.
• Remove the mixture from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla extract, almond extract and the pulverized almonds. Rub the top of the pastry cream with a bit of softened butter to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. Let the pastry cream cool to room temperature.
• Spoon the pastry cream into the baked tart shell. Arrange the strawberries - either whole, with the tips up, or sliced - into a star pattern. Fill in the corners with the blueberries.
• In a small saucepan, melt the currant jelly. Paint the berries with the jelly to give them a nice glaze.

Steps:

• Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece to 1/8 inch thick. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated.) Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds. Gently press into eight 2 1/2-inch round tart pans. Trim dough flush with top edge of pans. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line tart shells with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until surfaces are golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Remove tart shells from pans; spoon 2 teaspoons pastry cream into each. Top with berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with berry leaves, if desired.

Steps:

• TO PREPARE CRUST:.
• Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a medium bowl.
• Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
• Add oil and stir with a fork to blend.
• Mix 1/4 cup water, egg yolk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup.
• Add just enough of the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork, until the dough clumps together. (Add a little water if the dough seems too dry.)
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times.
• Form the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and coat with cooking spray.
• TO PREPARE FILLING AND ASSEMBLE TART:.
• Spread almonds in a small baking pan. Bake until light golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Combine whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda) and the toasted almonds in a food processor or blender; process until the almonds are ground.
• Roll the dough into a rough 13- to 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, about 1/4 inch thick. Roll it back over the rolling pin, brush off excess flour, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Spread the almond mixture over the pastry, leaving a 2-inch border all around.
• Toss berries with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar (or Splenda) and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a large bowl; spoon over the almond mixture.
• Fold the border up and over the filling, pleating as necessary.
• Blend the reserved egg white and 1 tablespoon water with a fork; brush lightly over the tart rim. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Bake the tart for 15 minutes at 425°F.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake until the crust is golden and the juices are bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Leaving the tart on the parchment (or foil), carefully slide it onto a wire rack. Let cool.
• Shortly before serving, melt jam in a small saucepan over low heat; brush over the berries.
• Cut the tart into wedges and serve.
• MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare crust through Step 1; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• INGREDIENT NOTE: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.
• TIP: To separate eggs safely: Use an egg separator, an inexpensive gadget found in cookware stores; separating eggs by passing the yolk back and forth between pieces of eggshell or your hands can expose the eggs to bacteria.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into an 11-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Roll rolling pin over top of shell to trim dough flush with rim and with a fork prick bottom of shell all over. Chill shell 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake shell in middle of oven 20 minutes and carefully remove foil and weights or rice. Bake shell until golden, about 10 minutes more, and cool completely in pan on a rack. Shell may be made 1 day ahead and kept in pan, loosely covered, at room temperature.
• In a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat together mascarpone, cream, and sugar until mixture holds stiff peaks. Spoon mixture into shell, spreading evenly.
• Quarter strawberries and in a large bowl combine with remaining berries. In a small saucepan simmer marmalade and liqueur, stirring, until reduced to about 3 tablespoons and pour over berries. With a rubber spatula gently stir berries to coat evenly. Mound berries decoratively on mascarpone cream. Tart may be assembled 2 hours ahead and chilled. Bring tart to room temperature and remove side of pan before serving.

Steps:

• SWEET PASTRY: In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, orange rind and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly.
• Whisk together eggs, water and lemon juice; drizzle over flour mixture, tossing with fork until moist enough to shape into ball (dough will be slightly sticky). Flatten into disc; wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Let soften to room temperature before rolling.
• On generously floured pastry cloth and using stockinette-covered rolling pin, roll out half of the pastry at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 1/2 inch rounds; ease into shallow 2 3/4 inch tart shells. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Line each tart shell with foil; fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake in 400°F oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden and firm. Remove foil and weights; let cool.
• FILLING: In bowl, combine sugar, flour and orange rind; blend in sour cream and egg yolk. Spoon about 1 tablespoons berries (mossberries or wild blueberries) into each tart shell; cover with about 1 tablespoons filling and top with 3 or 4 berries. Bake in 350°F oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is set. Let stand for 1 minute. Remove from pan and let cool on racks. Makes about 24 tarts.
• The Canadian Living Entertaining Cookbook.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface; roll into 14x10-inch rectangle with rolling pin. Transfer to large baking sheet; brush edges with water. Fold over 1/2 inch around all sides, then press firmly onto bottom of pastry to form rim. Pierce bottom of pastry in several places with fork.
• Bake 15 min. or until golden brown, breaking any large air bubbles with fork after 10 min. Transfer pastry to wire rack; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar and apple juice until blended; spread onto pastry. Top with berries. Brush melted jelly over fruit just before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Process flour, butter and half the cream cheese in food processor 30 sec. or until mixture is well blended and starts to form ball. Divide into 8 equal pieces; shape each into a ball.
• Roll out each piece of dough into 4-inch round between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Remove dough from waxed paper; place in single layer on parchment-covered baking sheets.
• Place remaining cream cheese in medium microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 20 sec.; whisk in 2 Tbsp. sugar until blended. Spread onto dough.
• Toss fruit with water, then dry gelatin mix until evenly coated; spoon onto dough rounds to within 1 inch of edges. Fold edges of dough over fruit. (Dough will not completely cover fruit in centers.)
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until crusts are golden brown, and fruit is hot and bubbly. Cool 15 min.; sprinkle with remaining sugar.