Recipe: Custard Filling for Fruit Tarts and Pies

This quick little recipe for Custard Filling for Fruit Tarts and Pies is really simple to make. You can use it in pastry pie shells as well as, graham cracker and shortbread crusts that you make or buy. Simply allow it to cool a little, spread it in the crust and pile on the fruit…. perfect for a quick throw together dessert.

TIPS


As you can see from the picture I didn’t fill the crust with custard… my intent was to use a lot of fruit since it was so abundant when I made the pie. If you prefer more custard and less fruit, simply double the recipe.



I use whole milk for this recipe, I would recommend you stick to whole milk, but if you do use a lower fat milk, don’t go lower than 2%.. otherwise the thickness and creaminess of the filling won’t be as good.

Use a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.

This is one recipe that’s good to bookmark… comes in handy when you want to make a quick dessert.






Recipe: Custard Filling for Fruit Tarts and Pies

All you need:

2 Tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

All you need to do:

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and sugar using a wire whisk to completely mix the two.

In a small saucepan, add the sugar mixture, milk and salt, mix well with a wire whisk.

Add the beaten egg yolks and mix well with a wire whisk.

Heat the mixture over medium heat whisking constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Do not leave unattended and make sure you whisk constantly. It will thicken quickly.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.

Scoop custard into a heat proof bowl and allow to cool before spreading in a crust.

Recipe: Mascarpone and Ricotta Blueberry Tart

It’s blueberry season!… and this puff pastry tart filled with a mascarpone and ricotta filling topped with fresh blueberries is the just the thing to make with those luscious blueberries.

So if you took my advice from yesterday’s post and went to a Farmer’s Market… you surely came home with fresh blueberries… and I have the perfect recipe for you.

Don’t worry about having to do a lot of work.. this is really a quick and easy recipe…

I made the filling recipe by trying to duplicate one I had purchased and what turned out to be a heavenly pastry… I came close… I hope you like it.

So let’s not wait a minute longer… let’s get to it.. so you can get back to doing things you really want to do on a beautiful summer day (I’m hoping it’s a beautiful summer day by you… it’s not here… it’s raining cats and dogs… so I will be heading to the kitchen to make something delicious too).

TIPS

I made one rustic tart… you can cut the pastry dough sheet into six squares to make individual servings.

I topped this tart with blueberries.. you can use any fresh berry other fruit as a topping.

I didn’t put a glaze on the blueberries … the blueberries were so good on their own.. they didn’t need a sweet glaze… but you can put a glaze on if you prefer.

I used part skim ricotta cheese.

I use parchment paper.. it’s a wise purchase… you can find it in the foil section of the supermarket.. baked goods simply don’t stick… and clean up is a snap….it’s easy to pick this tart up by the paper and slide it on a cooling rack.

Even if blueberries aren’t in season.. this tart is delicious… now you can find them in the supermarket year round… I hope you try this terrific dessert.






Recipe: Mascarpone and Ricotta Blueberry Tart

All you need:

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough from a 2 sheet package (Pepperidge Farms), thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mascarpone cheese, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
3 teaspoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fresh Blueberries

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Thaw one sheet of the frozen puff pastry sheets according to the instructions on the package.

Lightly flour a surface. Place the sheet on it and unfold it carefully.

Roll the sheet out to about a 9 x 13 rectangle (you don’t have to be exact).

Fold the edges around the rectangle to form a rim…. Again.. you don’t need to be exact.

Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Prick the bottom with a fork about 10 times.

In a small bowl combine the melted butter and honey stirring well (mix while the butter is still hot.. so the honey will melt into the butter).

Brush the dough completely with the honey butter (you will have honey butter left… you will need to brush it again after baking.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until crust is light brown and puffed. The pastry will puff up in the center during baking.. that’s okay… it will deflate when cooling.

After removing it from the oven… lightly brush it with some honey butter.

Cool in pan for 5 minutes than transfer to a cooling rack. The center will deflate unevenly… that’s okay... the filling will cover it.

Lightly brush the cooled crust with the honey butter and allow to stand for 30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl beat the mascarpone and the powdered sugar until mixed well and smooth.

Add the ricotta cheese, vanilla and heavy cream and beat for a minute.

Spread the cheese filling on the cooled crust.

Top generously with fresh blueberries.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.