Cream Cheese Fruit Tart with Almond Crust Recipe [GF]
Luscious cream cheese filling spread over an almond crust, topped with fresh fruit and a tangy citrus glaze.
Servings: 8 servings (makes 1 8 inch tart)
Calories: 270kcal
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 cup almond flour ,+ 2 tablespoons for High Altitude
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon butter , melted, plus more for greasing the pan
- 3 tablespoons honey , or coconut palm sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup orange juice or grapefruit juice , freshly squeezed, without pulp
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons tapioca starch , or organic cornstarch
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened / room temperature
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
For the Fruit Topping:
- strawberries , stems removed, halved, quartered, or sliced
- kiwi fruit , peeled and sliced across to create rounds
- blackberries , cut in half
- raspberries , leave whole
- blueberries , leave whole
Equipment: 8-inch tart pan
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom of 8-inch tart pan or line with parchment paper.
For the Crust:
- Mix 1 cup almond flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl to incorporate salt and break up any lumps in the flour (if using coconut palm sugar, add that into the dry ingredients here). In another bowl, blend 1 egg, 1 tablespoon butter, 3 tablespoons honey, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Spread in a tart pan and smooth with spatula to form an even crust.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown at the edges and in spots. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack before adding filling.
For the Glaze:
- Mix 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 teaspoons tapioca starch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to combine. When mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring constantly, until glaze thickens--2-3 minutes. Transfer glaze to a bowl and allow to cool completely before glazing the tart.
For the Filling:
- Using a mixer, beat 8 ounces cream cheese until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the cream cheese and mix until well blended. Set filling aside until crust and glaze are completely cooled. These steps can all be done in advance and reserved until tart is ready to assemble and serve.
For the Fruit Topping:
- Prepare fruit in the manner you prefer. In this application, strawberries were halved, kiwi was sliced, blackberries halved, raspberries and blueberries remained whole. (Blot fruit with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.)
Assembling the Tart:
- Once the crust is completely cooled, spread cream cheese filling evenly over crust -- an icing spatula works wonderfully here to create a smooth finish. Arrange prepared fruit over the filling in any design you choose. Whether you overlap the fruit, completely cover the filling, or allow it to peek through is up to you.
- Once all the fruit is in place, use a pastry brush to gently apply the glaze to the fruit, or use a spoon to drizzle glaze over the tart, just be sure to cover the fruit. Don't be shy, the glaze is not just for looks, it also adds a pleasing citrus accent to the tart.
- Chill until ready to serve. Serve within 24-48 hours.
Video
Notes
Nutritional value does not include the fruit because each tart varies in amounts.
If using coconut palm sugar in the crust, the mixture will be thicker, but can still be spread with a pastry knife to form a smooth crust.
RECIPE TIPS & VARIATIONS
- All the components can be made in advance and stored separately until ready to assemble.
- Berries will last the longest and maintain the best texture up to 3 days.
- Cut ripe peaches, plums, pears, and nectarines will weep more and should be served within 24-36 hours for best results.
- Apply the fruit tart glaze with a soft pastry brush to evenly coat and keep the fruit from browning or drying out.
- To make it Paleo and Dairy Free, substitute homemade coconut cream cheese, cashew cream cheese, or other favorite dairy-free substitute for the cream cheese in the filling. Sub ghee or coconut oil for the butter.
- Any combination of vibrant berries, mandarin oranges, peaches, plums, pears, mango, pineapple, nectarines, or kiwi will create your most inspired fruit arrangement.
- Use any favorite pastry crust—pie crust or shortbread crust works well, too.
- Skip a step and leave it unglazed if serving right away. Photo example below.
- Divide the crust into 10 to 12 (3-4 inch) mini tart cups. Place the tart cups on a rimmed baking sheet and bake the crust for about 10 minutes.
- Divide the filling evenly between the number of tart cups by spreading or piping into each cup.
- Arrange fruit on top of filling in a single layer.
- Brush glaze over fruit, or leave unglazed if serving within a few hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 0.9mg