Palmabella's Passions

To Chef night usually means a great dinner, or at least a new recipe at our house. It helps that I work 9-1 on Wednesdays, so I have more time to be creative. I have been avoiding baking during January, and Brad and I have both been craving dessert. I looked in the fridge. Hmmmmmm, I bought blackberries the other day! I can do something with those. I almost always have Sweet Tart Dough in my freezer (as one recipe makes enough for three tarts, and the dough freezes well), so we were on our way.

I always have cream cheese in the garage fridge, and while I was out there, I saw my last jar of homemade lemon curd on the shelf! A plan was forming!

First I thawed the tart dough. A couple hours later, it was perfect to roll out, chill and bake for 20 minutes. While it cooled, I beat together about 6 oz. of cream cheese, 6 oz. mascarpone, 1/2 c. powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. When the tart shell was cool, I filled it with the cream cheese-mascarpone mixture.

Next a layer of lemon curd:

In a small saucepan, mix 1 1/2 c. blackberries, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 T. lemon juice, and
1 1/2 T. cornstarch mixed with 1/2 c. water. Bring mixture to a boil and remove from heat when thickened. Let sauce cool and top tart.

The joke was on me. Top Chef was NOT on this week! We suffered through American Idol auditions instead!