SUGAR COOKIE FRUIT TART

We`ve all been here...Company is coming...the plan was for a real French pastry tart filled with home made pastry cream, topped with glazed fresh fruit. Then the day falls apart. The garden you cleaned yesterday was trashed by a late night thunder storm, a raccoon got into the trash and spread it all over the place, your 18 year old cat missed his box AGAIN, your beloved Teenie dog has had her way with an entire roll of toilet paper! Good lord I`ll never get this tart done in time!

A good cook has to be like a Marine.."adapt and overcome" has to be the motto. You ponder for a moment and remember that sugar cookie fruit tart you used to make with the kids and eureka!! there is light at the end of the Cuisinart!

There is really no recipe to this...just a few ingredients purchased on the fly from your local grocer. Go for it!

Sugar Cookie Fruit Tart

butter a tart pan..place a round of parchment in the bottom and butter that too

Line the bottom of the pan with 1/2 inch thick rounds of store bought sugar cookie dough.

Carefully press the dough rounds together to form a crust, pushing dough up the sides of the pan

Prick the dough with tines of a fork to prevent rising [it will rise a little but will fall as it cools]

Bake tart shell according to cookie directions until golden brown

Let shell cool to room temp

In a mixer whip up some cream cheese or mascarpone with powdered sugar to taste. Add a touch of vanilla, almond or orange extract..whatever seems good to you! Taste and correct seasoning.

Spread filling in tart shell. Go easy cause it`s really rich...Chill while you prepare fruits. Use any assortment of seasonal fruits you wish. Make sure fruits are dry.

Arrange fruit decoratively.

Melt some Apricot or Peach preserves over low heat. Strain through mesh sieve. Carefully paint warm [not hot] glaze over fruits.

Chill to set.

If using all strawberries you might use strawberry jelly for the glaze. If using jelly, there is no need to strain it.

To serve, remove tart from pan and place on serving platter. Optional: garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

and you do not have to tell what the ingredients are either..let them be amazed and wonder how you do what you do!

serves 8

"Cook Honey, Cook!"