Red, White, and Blue Tartlets

My blogging buddy Miss Laney told me I should make something Red, White, and Blue for the Fourth of July.  Since the 4th is one of my favorite holiday's I agreed.  When I went to the store the fresh fruit looked absolutely unbelievable so I had plenty of strawberries and blueberries to use for this recipe.  My husband loves pie so I thought that these would be fun little individual sized pies that we could share.  I modified a fabulous recipe given to me by my friend LuAnn for the filling of these, and I had to give some of these tartlets away because I couldn't stop eating them! The filling was seriously addictive!  Anyway, from my kitchen to yours, Happy Fourth of July!

Print Recipe

Red, White, and Blue Tartlets

1 recipe for Favorite Pie Crust, you will have some left over dough
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup vanilla chips
4 oz cream cheese, softened
whipped cream
1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed, topped, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed

For the Tart Shells:

Preheat your oven to 400˚ F.  

Divide the dough into small portions that when rolled into a ball fit into a 1/2 Tbsp (1 1/2 tsp) measuring spoon.  

Place each dough ball into the well of a mini-muffin tin. 

 Using a tart shaper press the dough balls until the dough comes up around the edges of the shaper.  

Remove the shaper and the dough should leave a nice shell.  

Repeat for the remaining wells.  Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork and bake for 10 minutes or until just starting to brown.  

Let cool and remove from the pan to cool completely.

I was using left over dough from the freezer so I just used up all that I had left which made 34 mini tart shells.

For the Filling:

Combine the egg, cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1 lemon juice in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine. Set aside.  

Cut the cream cheese into small chunks, and set aside.

In a medium heavy bottom saucepan combine the water and sugar, stir and bring to a boil.  

Add a small amount of the boiling sugar water to the egg mixture whisking constantly.  

Add in the remaining liquid and then return the entire mixture back to the pan.  

Reduce the heat to medium low.  Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth I'm using a wooden spoon in this picture, you'll see I switch to a flat whisk, just start with the whisk, it worked much better. 

Then add the vanilla chips, the butter, and lemon zest to the pan and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth and thickened.  

Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Wash and prepare the fruit.  I like to slice the strawberries with an egg slicer, it gives nice evenly sliced fruit. After the filling has cooled transfer to a piping bag or like I like to use a gallon ziplock bag.  

Tie off the top and cut off the corner edge.  Pipe the filling into each shell.  I had exactly enough filling for my 34 tart shells.

If making ahead stop at this point and refrigerate.  Cover with a sheet of wax paper and can leave for several hours or over night.  

When ready to serve, prepare your whipped cream (make stabilized whipped cream if not eating immediately because it will melt).  Or you can cheat like I did today and used RediWhip from a can... Shhh, no one will know.  Pipe the whipped cream on top of the filling in each tartlet.  

Top each tartlet with 2 strawberries and a blueberry or as desired.

Favorite Pie Crust

This post has been moved to Evolve: https://www.livegrowgive.org

Smooth and Creamy Symphony Fudge

I have a fabulous neighbor that is always helping me out.  We are morning plant watering buddies and she is just one of so many fabulous people that I am blessed to know.  She never asks me for anything in return for all the wonderful things she does so when she asked me if I made fudge I knew I had a way to pay her back! I mixed up this big batch of fudge and took it over.  I was on pins and needles to see if she would like it.  I watched as she cut off a chunk and put the creamy chocolate in her mouth.  "It's really good," was the response.  Whew! Success.  Then her son came and had some and said it was the best thing he'd ever tasted.  Wohoo! If that's not a boost for my ego I don't know what is lol.  Here is the recipe I adapted from one that was given to me from Miss Terri, my husbands aunt.  Thank you darlin'! We love it!  I hope you will all love it too.

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Smooth and Creamy Symphony Fudge

1 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sugar
7 oz marshmallow cream
12 oz can evaporated milk
12 oz Symphony Milk chocolate bar (2 6.8 oz bars - 4 squares)
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like to use the mini ones)
1 tsp vanilla

Using a large knife shave the chocolate bars into small pieces.  

(I know the recipe says to save 4 squares but I had to taste test the chocolate, I only use quality ingredients!)

The smaller the better so the pieces melt quicker.  Open the bag of chocolate chips, set aside.  Line a 9x13" or larger pan with wax or parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a large heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat.  

 Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. 

Using a rubber spatula add the marshmallow cream and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a rolling boil that you can't stir down. 

Reduce the heat half way between medium-low and medium.  Boil the mixture for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly to keep the mixture from burning.  I like my fudge soft and creamy so I only boil for 5 minutes, if you like your fudge a little firmer boil for 7 minutes.  

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla.  Stir like crazy until the chocolate is melted.  

Transfer the fudge to the lined dish and let cool completely.  

With a sharp knife cut into squares.

Nectarine Raspberry Bread

I'm baking again with my ladies from #Twelve Loaves! The theme for this month is Stonefruit.  The peaches and apricots and nectarines at the market have looked fabulous lately and I was so excited to make my bread! This bread was fabulous right out of the oven and though I was skeptical at first it even tasted great cold.  Double score! Wohoo :) I loved the pairing of the nectarines with the raspberries.  I might just need to make another loaf...

See what the other ladies are making: Apricot Bread from Cake Duchess
Peach & Apricot Honey Bread from Try Anything Once Culinary
Peach Muffins from Ma Che Ti Sei Mangiato
Peach Challah from Vintage Kitchen Notes
Cherry Muffins from Magnolia Days
Apricot Braided Loaf from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Cinnamon Peach Monkey Bread from Hip Foodie Mom
Peach Oat Quick Bread from A Baker’s House
Nectarine Cinnamon Rolls from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Nectarine Raspberry Bread from A Handful of Everything
Nectarine and Ginger Muffins from Baking in Pyjamas

Print Recipe

Nectarine Raspberry Bread

1 1/2 cups flour, divided
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 medium nectarines, peeled pitted and coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
1 tsp Turbinado sugar (or granulated sugar)
1/2 cup raspberries

Topping
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup candied almonds, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Wash and prepare the fruit.  

 

Lightly sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the nectarines and stir to coat.  

Add in the raspberries.  Set aside.

Add the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a mixing bowl.  

Stir to combine.  

In the bowl of a kitchen aid add the coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice and beat until smooth.  

 Add the sugar mixture to the coconut oil and beat for 2 minutes.  

Add the eggs, beat well until combined.  Mix in 1 cup of the flour.  Sprinkle the fruit with the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and add.  

 Using a large wooden spoon or a rubber spatula fold the fruit into the quick bread batter.

Pour the bread batter into a well greased (and floured if desired) loaf pan. 

In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Then stir in the chopped almonds.  

 Sprinkle evenly over the top of the loaf.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the pan to a cooling rack.  

Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan before removing the bread from the pan to slice or to cool completely.

#TwelveLoaves July:

Stone Fruit hosted by Paula from Vintage Kitchen Notes. Summer is when we get to enjoy an abundance of fresh stone fruits at our markets. Let’s create some breads with their juicy deliciousness! Share your favorite stone fruit bread recipe(yeast or quick bread). Let's get baking!

Want to join the #TwelveLoaves group? It's easy!

1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone's posts. Please make sure that your bread is inspired by the theme!

2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.

3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this July, 2013, and posted on your blog by July 31, 2013.

#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party created by Lora from Cake Duchess.