Berry Delicious Tart Food

THE QUICKEST BERRY TART

Steps:

• You can make the pastry by hand, or in a food processor. If making it by hand, sieve the flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl from a height.
• Chop the butter into small cubes, then gently work the it into the flour and sugar with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Beat the egg and add to the mix with the milk and gently work it together using your hands until you have a ball. Don't work the pastry too much or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short.
• Sprinkle some flour over the dough and a clean work surface, and pat the ball into a thick flat round. Sprinkle over a little more flour, then wrap the pastry in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Lightly oil the inside of a 25cm non-stick loose-bottomed tart tin.
• Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour, then carefully roll out the pastry, turning it every so often, until you've got a circle about 0.5cm thick.
• Roll the pastry over the rolling pin, then unroll it into the tin, making sure you push it into all the sides.
• Trim off any extra pastry, and use it to patch any holes, then prick the base of the case all over with a fork, cover with clingfilm, and pop it into the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• Line the pastry case with a large piece of greaseproof paper, pushing it right into the sides.
• Fill the pastry case right up to the top with uncooked rice, and bake blind for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Take the case out, carefully remove the rice (save it for baking blind another time) and greaseproof paper, and return the case to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes, until it's firm and almost biscuit-like. Leave to cool completely.
• Finely grate most of the orange zest into a bowl and whisk with 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar and the cream until you get a silky mixture that forms soft peaks.
• Put half the berries into another bowl and use a fork to mash them up with the remaining tablespoon of vanilla sugar. Break up the meringue nests into rough pieces.
• Gently fold the mushed-up berries, and the meringue pieces, into the cream.
• Tip the cream mixture into the cooled tart case and gently shake it to help spread it out to the edges. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly, then sprinkle the remaining berries all over the top.
• Finely grate over the remaining orange zest and serve right away, with a dusting of icing sugar.

MIXED BERRY TART

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.

BERRY TARTLETS

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.

NO-BAKE MIXED BERRY TART

Steps:

• For the dark chocolate graham cracker crust: Break the chocolate into pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor along with the graham cracker crumbs. Blend together until combined. Cut the stick of butter into several pieces and add to the food processor. Blend again until the mixture starts to clump together and has the consistency of wet sand.
• Dump the crumb mixture into a 10-inch round deep tart pan with 2-inch sides and a removable bottom. Press the crumbs into the bottom and towards the sides of the pan using the bottom of a glass. Then press down from the top with your thumb along the lip of the crust and press against the wall of the crust to create a scalloped edge. Gently scrape away the inside of the tart walls with a spoon while still pressing down from the top so that the crust is consistently 1/2-inch to 2/3-inch thick all the way around. Press and smooth the crumbs across the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate the crust for about 1 hour.
• For the strawberry smoothie mousse filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk in a medium microwave-safe bowl and let sit 1 minute. Microwave on high for 40 seconds, then stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
• Pulse the strawberries, 1 tablespoon sugar and the coconut gelatin mixture in a food processor or blender until the berries are pureed. Add the cream cheese, Greek yogurt and vanilla extract and continue blending until smooth. Taste and add another tablespoon of sugar if desired, then scrape down the sides and blend again. Pour into the prepared crust and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• For the decorative topping: Gently push the strawberries decoratively into the semi-gelled filling, then press in the blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to make a pretty pattern. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the surface. Refrigerate until set, 4 to 6 more hours or overnight.
• To unmold the pie, carefully press up from the bottom of the tart pan, then slice with a sharp knife (the crust will be very firm) and serve.

BERRY DELICIOUS TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/3 cup sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan., Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., Spread jam over crust. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over jam; sprinkle with berries., In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling., Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 30 minutes longer. Serve warm or cold.

QUICK CLASSIC BERRY TART

Steps:

• Beat pastry cream with a whisk until it is smooth. Fill crust with enough cream to come almost to edge of rim, and smooth top. Arrange berries in concentric circles over top of tart. If you are using strawberries, cut them in half from top to bottom.
• Bring jelly and 1 tablespoon water to a boil in a microwave oven or over heat. Working with a pastry feather or brush, dab each berry with a spot of jelly. If you would like, you can glaze entire surface of tart, including pastry cream that peeks through berries, although you may need more glaze.

BERRY TART WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

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.

RUSTIC BERRY TART

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.

BERRY TART WITH NO ADDED 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.

ELEGANT FRESH BERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add orange zest and extracts; gradually add flour until mixture forms a ball. Press into a greased 9-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., For filling, beat cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth; spread over crust. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes., Meanwhile, for syrup, bring water, sugar, preserves and lemon juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool., Combine strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and kiwi; toss with syrup to glaze. Arrange fruit as desired over filling. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.