Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart
Recipe re-printed with permission from Cooking Light Cooking Through the Seasons: An Everyday Guide to Enjoying the Freshest Food Cookbook. The recipe below is to make one 9" tart using a tart pan with removable bottom. If you are using four individual tart pans, you may want to use 42 graham crackers and just a touch more of all the other crust ingredients.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 36 honey graham crackers (9 sheets)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp butter (melted)
- 4 tsp water
- 2/3 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese (about 5 ounces)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 6 cup fresh strawberries (hulled)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds (toasted)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°.
- 2
To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and 4 teaspoons water; pulse just until moist. Place cracker mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan or 4 individual tart pans, lightly coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- 3
To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.
- 4
To prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor, and process until smooth. Combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute. Remove glaze from heat. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- 5
Combine the remaining 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat. Arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling. Spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use). Sprinkle nuts around edge. Cover and chill 3 hours.