Thursday, June 26, 2014

Fresh Berry Tart w/ Butter Pecan Cookie Crust

Happy Thursday! Our kitchen renovation project is progressing along nicely. The mess and disorganization of my main hub...my kitchen...is a little unsettling, but I know when it's all over with it will be well worth it. 

Today, I'm doing another guest post on Honeyville's blog -- it is one of my new dessert recipes that I created with the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations in mind. I have to tell you...it is one of my favorite dessert recipes that I've created so far. There are a couple of others that rank up there close...but this one is REALLY...REALLY good! I've been enjoying this one for several days now and should have it finished up in time to make another one for July 4th -- not that I'm counting down the days or anything. I got this one made before losing the water in my kitchen. It's decorated in festive red, white and blue, but you can design yours however you'd like and use whatever fruits that are your favorite. I used sliced strawberries and fresh blueberries on mine. It is AMAZING...and I think you are going to love this recipe. It is simple to make. The only baking involved is the 20 to 22 minutes it takes to bake the "butter pecan cookie crust." Trust me, it's worth turning on the oven in July for this one! It has an unbelievable no-bake cheesecake topping and then it's topped with fresh sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and whipped cream. I sweetened the cookie crust base and the cheesecake topping with Swerve (my favorite non-sugar sweetener). I swear that you would never ever EVER know that this dessert has no added sugar. Trust me...you could fool all the skeptics with this one! This recipe contains two of my favorite products...Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour as well as Swerve sweetener. Check out the photos and recipe below. Enjoy!







Behind the Scenes...

Crust before baking
Crust after baking
Cheesecake topping has been spread on the cooled cookie crust


This is the pan I used...how appropriate that it's a "USA Pan" to make a Fourth of July dessert!  If you haven't tried these baking pans before...you will love them. I've been using their loaf pan for a while now and picked this jelly roll pan up and absolutely love it.  I liked it so much I went back and bought a 5-piece set, too. They sell these on Amazon (below)...but if you have a Bed Bath & Beyond nearby, you can get them at a great price and even better if you use their 20% coupon that comes out all the time!

Fresh Berry Tart w/ Butter Pecan Cookie Crust 

Ingredients:

For the Cookie Crust:
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (preferably aluminum free)
1/2 to 3/4 cup Swerve Sweetener, or preferred granular sweetener
1/4 cup butter, softened (1/2 stick)
3 ounces (brick style) cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pecan meal

For the Cheesecake Topping:

16 ounces brick-style cream cheese (2 8-ounce bricks), slightly softened
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered Swerve Confectioners Style Sweetener (or preferred confectioners style sweetener

Fruit Topping:

Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)
Whipped cream for serving, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 10"x15"x1" jelly roll pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and sweetener. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add softened butter, cream cheese, egg and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix dry and wet ingredients together until blended. Stir in pecan meal.

Using a rubber spatula spread and press dough evenly in pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, until creamy and smooth; stir in cream, vanilla and sweetener.  Beat with hand mixer for about 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth, light and fluffy. Spread topping over top of crust until smooth. Refrigerate for several hours until chilled. Arrange berries on top. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Note: If you are unable to find pecan meal locally, it can be ordered online or you can easily make your own by using the pulse setting of your food processor outfitted with a steel blade. Nut meal is more coarsely textured than flour and should resemble the consistency of cornmeal. The pecan meal provides more texture to the cookie crust.

         

8 comments:

CyberSis said...

Hi GGC,

WOW ... Scrumptious! And beautiful, too! What a dilemma ... do I wait to get the right pan, or do I just go for it? I think I already know the answer! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi CyberSis,

There is only one correct answer to that question...GO FOR IT! LOL You can always use a 9 x 13 pan, and your crust will be a bit thicker so you might have to bake it a bit longer. Or...pretty much any similar sized pan, regardless of shape. I just really like these pans -- the corrugated cooking surface looks like it would give you nooks and crannies for things to stick...but it's actually just the opposite. Foods just slide out. Hope you enjoy it! :-)

Anonymous said...

The link to the recipe does not work. I tried going directly to Honeyville Farms and couldn't get to it there either. Would you mind posting the complete recipe?

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

I just tested the link and it took me straight to the recipe and post on Honeyville's blog. Maybe something was wrong with it when you tried? Here's the link again -- see if you can get there with this one.

Thanks! http://honeyvillefarms.blogspot.com/2014/06/almond-flour-berry-tart-recipe.html

Unknown said...

Made this today, it is soooo good! One of the sweetest things is after I ate it, I didn't feel sick or any of the other things that goes along with the "old school" wheat & sugar version. It is delicious! Win win!! Thanks for sharing your talent & knowledge!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Elizabeth,

Thanks so much! I am so happy you are enjoying it. It is one of my new favorites -- especially nice to have in the summertime. So glad you like it and thanks for letting me know! :-)

Unknown said...

My 4th of July started off very early at bed bath & beyond to obtain a USA jellyroll pan. I decided I must have one and it was actually made in the USA, how fitting! Needless to say I also walked out with a 6 pan package of pans as I knew they don't typically stock that particular set as the salesperson and I dusted it off to admire my find, along with a price! So off I went like a child leaving Toys R Us with their treasures. Love these beautiful quality pans which are my new obsession. Now on to your gorgeous tart, all I can say is it is out of this world and everyone loved it!!I love your blog and look forward to trying your bread next along with walnut zuchinni bread. Please keep up the good work and lovely photo's. I love how you show the before cooking photo's as well!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Miranda,

Thanks so much! So glad everyone loved the tart!

Now, back to the USA pans -- they are hands down my favorite baking pans. I have never had anything stick. Too funny about you getting the 6-piece set at BB&B -- because I got it too -- just couldn't pass it up. I even used a 20% off coupon and got it for a steal.

I am so happy you enjoyed the tart and hope you enjoy the Zucchini Walnut Bread too! I promise you won't taste the zucchini! :-)