![[Teri's Kitchen]](http://teriskitchen.com/graphics/recipe4.gif)
MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART (8 to 10 SERVINGS)
The strawberries this year have been phenomenal, even in late winter from out-of-state sources. We usually have them macerated with liqueur. But, for a special occasion, I decided to try something different. Don’t be fooled by the length of the recipe. This tart is so easy and, if you use a sugar substitute and light cream cheese like I do, quite healthy, partly due to the addition of almonds in the crust, and much lighter than the usual. Of course, if you have no concerns about fat or sugar, use the regular cream cheese and sugar. Either way, it will taste the same, which is delicious. See the notes below for using different size pans and strawberries.
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
Cream Cheese Filling:
Strawberry Topping and Glaze:
For the crust: Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with cooking spray. Place the almonds in the processor and pulse several times to break them apart. Then add the graham cracker crumbs and process until the mixture is fairly fine. Add the butter and water and pulse again, just until the mixture is moist. Place the crumb mixture into the tart pan and press into the bottom and to about 3/4-inch up the sides. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a baking rack.
For the cream cheese filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and both extracts. Stir until smooth. Spread mixture into the bottom of the cooled crust.
For the strawberries and glaze: Clean and hull the strawberries. Set aside 4 cups of the smallest and prettiest for the top of the tart. Place the remaining 2 cups in the food processor and process until pureed. Place the puree, sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan; whisk well to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for one minute. Pour the mixture into a bowl large enough to hold the remaining strawberries and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the remaining 4 cups of strawberries and toss to coat with the glaze. Remove the strawberries from the glaze, one-by-one, and arrange, bottoms up, in a circular pattern on top of the cream cheese filling. Spoon half of the glaze over the strawberries, reserving the remainder for another use. (See notes below for suggestions.) Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or up to 6 hours. Before serving, place individual mint leaves between the strawberries for a pretty garnish.
Notes: It is best to use small strawberries for this recipe, since they are kept whole. However, I think they are very difficult to find because the growers keep producing larger and larger varieties. What I do, after the berries are hulled, is cut off the tops and use them for the puree in the glaze. That way the bottoms are small enough to be used on the filling. I also buy extra strawberries, just in case some are not as ripe or pretty. I add the extras to the extra glaze and serve, after the tart disappears, as is or on top of ice cream, pound cake or for shortcake. As for the tart pan, a removable bottom is always nice for a pretty presentation, but not necessary. You could also use a 9-inch springform pan or a 10-inch pie plate. Leftover tart is still very good the next day or so, although the crust will absorb moisture and lose its crispy texture.
All rights reserved by Teri’s Kitchen.
Use your browser's BACK button to return to previous page
Copyright Information
or go to the RECIPE INDEX.