Blueberry Tart

INGREDIENTS:
-Crust

• 1/2 Cup Walnuts
• Lightly Toasted
  
• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1 Large Egg White
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• Melted
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• Pinch of salt
  

-Filing

• 8 Ounces Reduced Fat Cream Cheese
• Softened
• 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
• Divided
• 2 Cups Fresh Blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Coarsely chop walnuts in a food processor.
• Add graham cracker crumbs and process until the mixture is fine.
• Whisk the egg white in a medium bowl until frothy.
• Add the crumb mixture, butter, oil, salt and toss to combine.
• Press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan.
• Bake on a baking sheet until dry and slightly browned, about 8 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Beat cream cheese, sour cream and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a medium bowl with a mixer on low until smooth.
• When the crust is cool, spread the filling evenly into it, being careful not to break up the crust.
• Arrange blueberries on the filling, pressing lightly so they set in.
• Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup over the berries.
• Chill for at least 1 hour to firm up.

This recipe was absolutely delicious and pretty easy to make! This tart can be left in the refrigerator for at least one day.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from Eating Well Magazine

Lattice-Topped Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• 3 Cups Flour
• 2-1/2 Teaspoons Sugar
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 2/3 Cup Solid Vegetable Shortening
• Chilled & Cut into Pieces
• 1-1/4 Sticks Butter
• Cut into Pieces
• 10 Tablespoons Ice Water
• 1 Large Egg Yolk

Filling

• 3-1/2 Cups Rhubarb
• 1/2 Inch-Thick Slices
• 3-1/2 Cups Strawberries
• Hulled & Halved
• 1/2 Cup Golden Brown Sugar
• Packed
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Cornstarch
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  

DIRECTIONS

Crust

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Cut in shortening and butter until a coarse meal forms.
• Blend in ice water, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until moist clumps form.
• Gather dough into a ball and cut it in half.
• Flatten each half into a disk.
• Wrap separately in plastic and refrigerate until firm, around an hour.

Filling

• Combine ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss to blend.

Pie

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Roll out 1 dough disk on a floured surface to a 13-inch round.
• Transfer to a 9-inch glass pie pan and trim off excess dough, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang.
• Roll out second dough disk on a floured surface to a 13-inch round.
• Cut into fourteen 1/2-inch wide strips.
• Spoon filling into crust bottom.
• Arrange 7 of the strips atop the filling spaced evenly.
• Arrange the 7 remaining strips in the opposite direction, forming a lattice or weave the strips together as we did.
• Trim any excess from the strips to line even with the overhang on the bottom crust.
• Fold strip ends and overhang under, pressing to seal and crimp decoratively.
• Beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water to create glaze.
• Brush glaze over crust.
• Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until golden and filling thickens, around 1 hour 25 minutes.
• Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.

If running low on time, like we were, a store bought crust works just as well. If you do have time, the crust can be made up to one day ahead. Keep it chilled, but let the dough soften at room temperature before rolling. Yummy.

Raspberry Champagne Sorbet

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Water
• 12 Ounces of Fresh Raspberries
• 1 Cup Champagne
• 1/4 Cup Creme de Cassis
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

EQUIPMENT:

• Ice Cream Maker
• Blender
  

DIRECTIONS

• Bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• In a blender, puree raspberries, champagne, creme de cassis and sugar syrup.
• Strain puree through a fine mesh and discard solids.
• Stir in lemon juice.
• Refrigerate covered for at least one hour, until cold.
• Freeze in ice cream maker according to directions.

We picked up our ice cream maker at Target for around $20.00 and have used it many times already. Our ice cream maker needs to be stored in the freezer for at least 8 hours before it can be used, so plan ahead. This sorbet did taste a little boozy, but do not decrease the amount of champagne as it's vital in giving the sorbet its smooth texture.
Enjoy.