I’m feeling this heat and tomorrow’s the first day of Summer! It feels like Summer came to Florida back in April! So, during these next hot months I know I don’t want to spend a long time in the kitchen. Therefore, I love an easy and quick recipe for a delicious tart. These make the perfect dessert for me and they work in Summer and Winter too. There’s some desserts that I really save for the Holidays but tarts are universal and there’s so many combinations available. If strawberries aren’t in season, then I can use peaches or apples instead. So this recipe is more of a method that you can alter for what you like or in the mood for.

For the Tart Shell:
Ingredients:
1-1/4 c. + 1 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 tbsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. raspberry jelly

For the Filling:
Ingredients:
1/2 c. cream cheese
1-1/2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla

For the Fruits:
Fresh Raspberries & Blueberries

http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakersshoppe-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0017Z7C3U&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifrTart Shell: Mix flour and sugar in small bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in water and vanilla until evenly distributed, gather into flattened ball and press evenly over bottom and sides of a 9″ or 10″ tart pan with removable bottom, extending pastry 1/2″ above sides or you can use mini tart shells. Prick all over with fork. Chill 1 hour. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven, on lowest rack for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan.

Assembling the Tart: Remove rim of tart pan and place on serving plate. Mix cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in small bowl, until blended. Spread over bottom of tart shell. Arrange fruits over cream cheese mixture, slicing or cutting fruit if necessary (for example if you choose to use strawberries) and overlapping slices. Melt jelly and brush over fruit. Refrigerate 30 minutes for the glaze to set completely before serving.