ricotta and berry fruit tarts

Fourth of July has to be one of my favorite holidays. From the fireworks to the crispy funnel cakes topped with tons of powdered sugar, it’s definitely a day I wait for every year.

For one of the first times in my twenty years, I didn’t spend the holiday with my hometown friends but instead with my dad and some of our really close family friends. Every time I go to their house I know I’ll get an amazing meal, so I volunteered to make dessert.

I knew I wanted to make a dessert that showcased summer fruits but also a dessert that was on the lighter side. After some digging I found the perfect one, mini fruit tarts that even fit the red, white and blue theme. With a filling made from ricotta and cream cheese on top of a light and crisp puff pastry shell, I knew this would be simple yet so tasty.

I stored the pastry shells in an airtight container and kept the filling in the fridge until it was time to serve dessert. I would recommend to assemble the dish right before serving to prevent a soggy tart!

These tarts are a quick, delicious and equally patriotic dessert that I hope you make for your Fourth of July party next year!

Ricotta and Berry Fruit Tarts

(makes 9 tarts)

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/8 cup and 1/4 cup powdered sugar divided

3 oz. cream cheese (a little less than half the block)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Fresh raspberries, strawberries and blueberries

Fresh mint

1 sheet puff pastry

1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water

Few tablespoons of Turbinado or granulated sugar*

original recipe: http://www.cookingclassy.com/puff-pastry-fruit-tarts-ricotta-cream-filling/

*I prefer turbinado sugar or “sugar in the raw” because each granule is larger in size thus giving the pastry a nice crunch!

Instructions

1. Thaw puff pastry for about 20-30 minutes just until it’s room temperature and pliable
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
4. Unfold and roll out the dough to make it a little bit thinner while trying to maintain the original rectangle shape
5. Cut the dough into 9 squares
6. Without cutting all the way through the dough, cut a square inside of each pastry square, coming about 1/2 inch from the edge on all sides
7. Transfer the squares to the lined baking sheet
8. Make the egg wash with the egg and 1tbsp of water and brush on each square
9. Sprinkle each square with big pinch of the turbinado or granulated sugar
10. Bake 10-15 minutes until the squares are nicely puffed and golden brown
11. While the squares are baking, whip heavy cream and 1/8 cup of powdered sugar in a stand/hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form
12. Set the whipped cream aside in a bowl and in the same mixer, whip cream cheese until fluffy on high speed
13. Add remaining 1/4 cup of powered sugar and vanilla and mix to combine
14. Add ricotta and whip until fluffy, about 1 minute
15. Fold in the whipped cream mixture into the ricotta and cream cheese
16. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
17. Remove the pastry from oven and gently push the center to collapse the inner square creating a tart shell
18. Let cool on a wire rack
19. To assemble, fill the tart shells about 3/4 of the way with the cream filling
20. Top with an assortment of berries and garnish with fresh mint
21. Enjoy!