ALL-AMERICAN TARTLET

America the beautiful! We love summer. And celebrations. So make this red, white and blue All-American Tartlet for your Fourth of July celebration. It will soon become your classic summertime treat. It is as natural as hanging a flag on your porch, watching fireworks, sipping lemonade and chasing fireflies. All the simple, but yet important little things we do as Americans.

Lay out the red check tablecloth and follow this 5 star (or fifteen star) recipe for the perfect treat.

Pastry Crust-

1 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

1 Egg

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 ½ C. Flour

With a pastry blender (or fork works just as well) blend sugar with the soft butter.

Add vanilla.

Add egg.

Slowly add flour, about ¼ cup at a time to mix with pastry blender.

Once all the flour has been added, roll into a large ball.

Divide the ball in two, and place in plastic bags. Let rest in refrigerator for one hour. You can let the pastry rest overnight in fridge, too.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prep tart pan with a light coat of vegetable spray.

Remove one ball and lightly sprinkle with flour on a clean dry surface.

With your hands form ball into a rectangle.

Roll rectangle out to ¼” thickness. Fold over in half and transfer to tart pan.

Press with fingertips the pastry into the pan. Let the pastry fall over the edges.

Press top of the edges to cut off excess pastry and remove scraps.

Roll out second ball of pastry.

Cut mini stars, about fifteen.  I used a ¾” star cookie cutter.

Place stars on parchment paper lined baking tray.

Sprinkle with white decorative sugar.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until edges turn golden.

Bake pastry for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges turn golden.

Once cooled, you can wrap in plastic and store if you are making the tartlet a few days in advance.

Cream Filling-

8 Oz. Mascarpone

1/4 C. Confectioners’ Sugar

½ C. Heavy Cream

½ Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Seeds Scraped From Vanilla Bean

In a stand mixer or hand held mixer, blend on low speed mascarpone and sugar.

Slowly, little at a time, blend in cream.

Blend in vanilla extract.

  

Add vanilla bean. Beat on medium speed for a minute.

Spread cream filling into cooled pastry.

Fruit Topping-

One cup each-Fresh Red Raspberries, Blueberries and Blackberries.

2 Tablespoons Red Raspberry Jam

Wash and dry fruit.

In a bowl, add raspberry jam. If it is cold and thick, warm slightly in microwave (my guess would be in 5 to 10 seconds).

Gently fold small handful of fruit into the jam until all is incorporated, taking care not to smoosh the fruit.

Carefully spoon fruit onto the cream filling.

Add your stars!

Now put on a pair of flip flops, kick back and enjoy the summer day. Make a tartlet, pack a picnic and go chase fireflies. It is all about the simple things. All-American traditions.