Cooking Lesson #623: St. Tropez Summer Fruit Tart

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? If you're heading to St. Tropez this summer for the beaches, the sand and the surf, then July and August are the best months to go. This is peak tourist season so the city will likely be crowded. The temperatures average from the low 80s during the daytime hours, to the mid-60s at night. It cools off enough in the evening so that you can enjoy the wonderful foods of the region like my St. Tropez Summer Fruit Tart.
 
This St. Tropez Summer Fruit Tart is not only beautiful but one of the healthiest summer desserts. This fruit tart is easier than making a classic summer pie, but fancier than a down-home fruit cobbler. It looks dramatic, elegant, and downright impressive, but it's actually quite simple to make. With its fresh fruit topping, light, creamy custard filling, and crisp crust, this fruit tart is perfect for delicious dessert after a summer dinner.
 
This fruit tart's base filling is creamy but not too heavy. It's made with cream cheese, tangy sour cream, confectioners’ sugar and pure vanilla extract. Blend it all together before folding in the whipped cream which helps it achieve a light and fluffy texture.
 
Before serving, top with a variety of fruits of the season—a colorful mix of strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, and mango, but the tart would be just as delicious with say, all raspberries, or a mix of blackberries and blueberries, or an artfully placed fan of mango and papaya spears. Just be sure the fruit is properly chilled, peeled, hulled and pitted.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Dough Chill time: 60 minutes (refrigerator)
Tart Crust Chill time:  30 minutes (freezer)
Bake time:  12 to 15 minutes
Assembly time:  15 minutes
Set Chill time: 2 hours (or overnight)
Yield:  8 - 10 serving(s)
 
Ingredients 
For the tart short crust
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large, chilled egg yolk
4 teaspoons ice water
 
For the tart filling
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whipped cream
 
For the fruit topping (options)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup hulled and sliced strawberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup mango slices
1/2 cup kiwi slices
3 tablespoons apple jelly
 
Directions
To make the crust

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
2. With a pastry cutter or your fingers, gradually work the butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces form.
3. Stir together the egg yolk and water, then stir into the flour mixture using a fork in a small bowl, then knead the dough together until it is no longer crumbly and holds together when pinched with your fingers.
4. Form it into a disc and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
5. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
6. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
7.  Press the crust into the pan and trim the edges right at the top of the tart pan sides. (Do not worry if the crust cracks! Patch it up with the dough pieces that were trimmed from the edges).
8. Place the crust in the freezer for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat an oven to 400˚⁰ F.
10. Prick the crust all over with a fork.
11. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.
12. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

To make the tart filling

1. Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Gradually fold in the whipped cream until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cooled crust and spread into an even layer.

To fruit top the topping

1. Artfully arrange the fruit on top of the filling.
2. Microwave the apple jelly in a small microwavable bowl until melted and smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Brush the apple jelly over the tops of the fruit.
4. Chill the tart for about 2 hours (or overnight) until cold and the filling is set.
5. Carefully cut and serve.

ChefSecret:  You can dress up the filling by replacing the vanilla extract by using vanilla bean paste. This will give some random specks of vanilla bean in the filling.

Quip of the Day:  What is Dracula's favorite fruit tart? Neck-tarine!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to [email protected]. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

 #Baking #Dessert #StTropez #SummerFruitTart #Berries #Kiwi #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 

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