Growing up, I had the privilege of harvesting fruits and vegetables during the summer and fall months with my parents. With fondness, I remember sweating in a muggy kitchen as my mom and I blanched peaches and pears, cut them in half, stuffed mason jars to the brim, and then filled the nooks and crannies with sugar water before sealing them in a water bath.
As an extended family of grandparents and aunts, we’d snip and bottle green beans, bag corn in small baggies that we’d freeze (I loved watching the kernels fall from the cob as the electric knife cut down the sides), make white and purple grape juice (did you know that white grape juice comes in kind of an ombre of colors, getting lighter as you go? It actually is a bit pink at the first of the batch.), and bottle homemade spaghetti sauce and salsa.
Maybe not with fondness, because I have always been a creature that needed all the sleep I could get, but with a smile, I remember picking strawberries and raspberries at dawn to make freezer jams that I am certain could have won blue-ribbon prizes at any county fair. Oh, how I loved it when we’d have fresh strawberry jam on my mom’s fresh baked rolls. She was known for both within our family/community.
Although most of the berries were used for jam, my mom saved back some of the berries to make this tart every single summer. I looked forward to the sweet berries, the tart glaze, and the creamy center that brought everything together just right, nestled in the embrace of a gloriously sweet, flaky crust. Summer, for me, was this tart.
Since marrying and moving states away from my parents, I haven’t harvested my own fruits and vegetables, for which I truly mourn. Those memories with my family, immediate and extended, are some of my most tender, treasured memories of my formative years. But I make this dessert each summer for my own kids. I hope it is one of the memories that they look back on with fondness, that one day they’ll say, “This tart meant Summer for me.”
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
FOR THE CRUST
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 all-purpose flour
Combine sugar, butter, and flour until it forms a ball. You could use a food processor, stand mixer, or hand mixer. You could also make it like a pie crust with a pastry blender or forks until it starts to combine, and then use your fingers to make a ball. Press dough into a 12- inch tart pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Set aside to cool. 
FOR THE FILLING
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour and smooth over cooled crust.
Layer the outer edge with fresh strawberries. While you don’t need to hull the strawberries for this recipe, I do believe it’s a life-changing trick that everyone should know. Head on over {here} to learn how to effortlessly hull and top strawberries!
Your next concentric circle will be kiwi. I used two full kiwi for mine, however, if you want them to be as full as the strawberries, I’d say three kiwi would be perfect.
My center is approximately 1/4 cup blueberries, but I’ve tried blackberries and raspberries as well. Honestly, can you go wrong with fresh fruit?! No. No you cannot.
p.s. If you are dying to have something with raspberries as a main ingredient, you should check out my Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. They’re just as easy as this dessert, but you don’t have to use a plate to eat them!
FOR THE GLAZE
INGREDIENTS
- 6 oz. frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice, or the juice of one fresh lime
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Combine limeade, cornstarch, juice, and granulated sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, cooking for approximately 2 minutes, or until the liquid becomes thick and clear.
With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart. You will not use all of the glaze, just so you know; I usually use about half.
Store in the refrigerator. If you have any leftovers…
Fresh Fruit Tart
A delectable summer dessert that takes about 20 minutes to whip up. So flaky, so delicate, so delicious!!!
For the Crust
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup butter
For the Filling
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Toppings
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Blueberries
- Raspberries or Blackberries (optional)
For the Glaze
- 6 oz. frozen limeade concentrate (thawed)
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice, or the juice of 1 fresh lime
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
-
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine sugar, butter, and flour until it forms a ball. You could use a food processor, stand mixer, or hand mixer. You could also make it like a pie crust with a pastry blender or forks until it starts to combine, and then use your fingers to make a ball. Press dough into a 12- inch tart pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
-
Filling and Topping:
Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Pour and smooth over cooled crust.
Circle strawberries around the edge. The next concentric circle is kiwi. Fill the middle with blueberries. You could also use raspberries or blackberries.
-
Glaze:
Combine limeade, cornstarch, juice, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cooking for approximately 2 minutes, or until the liquid becomes thick and clear. Let cool
With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart. You will not use all of the glaze; I usually use about half.
-
Store the leftovers in the refrigerator. If you have any left…
OTHER FRUIT RECIPES MADE FOR SUMMER
- Blueberry Beignet Crumble
- Cranberry Blueberry Sauce
- Luscious Grape Salad
- Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Jars
- Rainbow Strawberry Shortcakes
~Steph