from mrs. p's kitchen • gayl's berry tart
Good rainy morning, my friends! Well, I'm not sure about where you are...but it's starting to feel like a tiny rainforest here at the Puffenburger homestead. As our friend Forest Gump says, "We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain…and big ol’ fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath.”
I'm not sure about you, but I actually adore the rain. And what better time is there to get in the kitchen than when you're cooped up inside? This week's blog post is of the scrumptious and sweet variety, as I'll be showcasing the first of what I hope to be many of my favorite, tried-and-true recipes! I just had to dedicate the first dish to my amazing mother, Gayl...or, "Mama T," as she's affectionately become known amongst my friends. She's my absolute best girlfriend, and has taught me almost everything I know about the kitchen. Her, and Ina Garten, of course. But my mom basically is Ina Garten with blonde hair....so, yeah.
More on my beautiful mamma later! Let's talk one of my favorite desserts in the world - her berry tart. It's a show-stopper, people. I mean, the sight of it alone is nearly enough to coax a tear or two from the eye. But the taste? You'll be crying rivers of joy. It's my go-to recipe for anytime I need to bring dessert to a get-together, and it's never failed to be a crowd-pleaser. The best part, my friends? It's so, SO easy to make. An eight-year old could do it. In fact, if you have an eight-year old, I'd highly recommend you teach them how to make this tart. Because then you'll be living a life of sheer bliss, with your own personal mini-chef keeping your pie-hole stuffed full of this delectable treat on the daily. But have you no eight-year old, fear not. For today, I will teach you how to make it yourself! The recipe (Sally's Fresh Fruit Tart) is taken from Julee Rosso and Shelia Lukins' collection, The New Basics Cookbook. Mom and I wore out her copy over the years, and it was the first cookbook she gifted me with when I left home and started cooking on my own!
Shall we begin? Here's what you'll need to get started!
3 ounces of cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 cup of fresh raspberries
1 cup of fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons of red currant jelly
one pre-prepared pie crust, raw
+ For the cream cheese, my favorite is the Philadelphia brand. Any brand will do, but why wouldn't you want to throw a little brotherly love in your dessert if you had the chance? That's right. You would.
+ When buying raspberries and blueberries, my rule of thumb is to buy two small cartons of raspberries, and one large carton of blueberries. This is always plenty for the tart, with a handful left over to snack on while you bake! Oh, you don't snack while you bake? Just me? Well, how embarrassing.
+ The pre-prepared pie crust can definitely be substituted for a homemade crust, if you have a favorite recipe! In my world, the homemade crust has yet to be perfected, and buying pre-prepared is a way safer bet; I always get Pillsbury brand! You can usually find it in the refrigerated section where they keep the cookie dough. I use this as a point of reference because, well, every self-respecting adult woman knows exactly where to find the cookie dough. I think there's some sort of internal radar mechanism involved. I'm a nurse...I know these things.
One thing that this dessert will require (that's sometimes a little hard to find) is a tart dish. It's similar to a pie dish, but it's edges are short and straight, instead of taller and slanted outward. Sometimes also called a quiche dish, they're notoriously difficult to locate. I had a beloved one handed down to me from my grandmother, but in the course of multiple moves, it got lost and I was heartbroken. It took me almost a year to replace it, and that's only because my mother seriously rocks and managed to snag one from TJ Maxx. I did find one at Williams Sonoma, but it had a removable bottom, and I personally wouldn't recommend that style. It's all about your preference, but my favorite is a porcelain or ceramic version. If you're like me and having trouble finding one in person, you can try this one from Sur la Table .
Start your dessert-making session by preheating your oven according to the package instructions and rolling your pie crust into the tart dish. It's best to let your crust sit out on the counter for a few minutes beforehand, since rolling it out will be much easier if the dough has come to room temperature. Once the crust is rolled into the dish and snugged into the corners/up the sides, take a fork and puncture holes into the bottom of the crust and along the edges. This will help air escape, and discourage your crust from bubbling up while it bakes!
While the oven is takin' care of business, you can start to make your tart filling! In a medium bowl, take your room-temp cream cheese and combine it with the sugar and vanilla extract. Cream all three ingredients together with a fork until they are well mixed. In a separate bowl, whip your heavy whipping cream until it forms peaks that will hold their shape. I've found that if you chill your whipped cream bowl and whisk/beaters beforehand by sticking them in the freezer for few minutes, your whipped cream will come together in a snap! Next, take your whipping cream and spoon it into your bowl with the sweet cream cheese mixture. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until everything is well incorporated. If you fold gently, the whipped cream will stay light and fluffy, making your filling all the better! Set this glorious concoction aside, and get back to that crust!
When your pie crust comes out of the oven, make sure you let it cool completely before filling it with your sweet cream mixture. Once the crust is filled, smooth the top of the cream so that it's as level as possible, then start adding your berries! Beginning with the raspberries, lay them out one by one with open side down, forming a complete circle around the outside of the tart. Then, switching to the blueberries, make another ring inside the first, adding concentric rings of alternating berries until you finish with a single berry in the very middle. A fun tip; before we got started laying the berries down, my mom and I would always pick the most plump, beautiful blueberry and raspberry of the whole bunch and set them aside. That way, no matter which kind you ended up on for your glorious center berry, you had the prettiest one left to use! Now that your gorgeous tart is adorned with a colorful crown, and you're tooting your own horn and feeling pretty darn fancy, it's time to put the finishing touches on!
In a small saucepan, heat a small portion of red currant jelly over medium low heat until it turns to liquid. The recipe only calls for three tablespoons, but I always find that I need more than this. Using a pastry brush, dab the melted jelly gently onto the tops of the berries, being as generous as you like until the whole tart is coated in a delicious and shiny glaze! For best results, let your tart chill in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving; six hours is best if you've got the time!
Well, my friends, there you have it! The perfect refreshing dessert that is as easy on the tastebuds as it is on the eyes. I hope you have a chance to make it at some point this spring or summer while the berries are their most tasty...preferably, for an event to which I am invited. Because, well....noms.
Until next time,
Mrs. P
