Annie’s Eats

I have had my eye on this tart for months but have  put off making it.  Don’t ask why, I’m just crazy like that.  We had friends over for dinner recently and I decided it was time to give it a try.  We are all very glad I did!  Ben especially, this may be his new favorite dessert I make.  It tasted just as wonderful as I expected from reading the recipe - how can you go wrong with cream cheese, strawberries and chocolate?  My only complaint is that this was a bit awkward to eat due to the layer of chocolate underneath the cream cheese.  It was so hard (even after sitting out for a bit) that eating it with a knife and fork was difficult.  Ben and I found that cutting small slices and just eating them without utensils was easier, and less messy.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces

For the filling:

6 oz. dark chocolate

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. milk or cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.  Rub in butter with fingertips (or mix with stand mixer/food processor) until mixture is crumbly and resembles wet sand.  Stir in water, adding an additional tablespoon if necessary until dough starts to come together and clumps easily.  Press dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on a well-floured surface and press into a 9- or 10-inch tart pan.  Place the tart pan on a baking sheet and place a piece of aluminum foil over the pastry.  Fill the foil with pie weights and bake for 12 minutes at 350°.  Remove foil and weights and continue baking for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool completely before filling.

Melt 4 oz. dark chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.  When melted, pour into the pastry crust and spread evenly to coat the bottom with a thin layer of chocolate.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cool and firm.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a large bowl until smooth.  Pour into the cooled crust.  Top cream cheese layer with sliced strawberries.  Melt remaining dark chocolate and drizzle over berries.  Refrigerate the tart for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. 

Source: adapted from Baking Bites