Kiwi & Blueberry with Mascarpone Cream Tart

This week has been a super hectic week for me. Why? Let me give you a run down: Just got back from vacation on Monday, went market to buy groceries (my fridge is empty), meet up with both my kids' teachers for mid-term progress report, meet up with friend to make moon cake, buy presents for MIL for her coming birthday this weekend, buy gifts for my girls' teachers for their party on Friday, also bought some presents for my friends' daughter's birthday. Then went to 2 bakery supply stores to stock up my supplies (one of them don't carry some of the stuff I want!). Got stuck in traffic for 1hr. Then planning and baking for 2 of my girl's school party on Friday, including cupcakes for kids and cookies for teachers. Cut and trim my girls' hair (yes, mummy also the barber) before school holiday. Attend the final session of a marriage enrichment course with my husband. Practice with my girl for her coming piano concert next month. Not forgetting my daily chauffeuring of my girls to and fro to school, extra classes like speech and drama, piano. Going through their homework(everyday). Of course, cook, bake and blog. *phew!*

Sorry if I'm nagging too much, but that's basically what's going on with me this week. Well, I am very sure there are lot's of mummies (or daddies) out there that are going through the same thing as me, so all I can say is "Hang on buddy!", haha. But through it all, I thoroughly enjoyed everything I did, and being busy is not all that bad (maybe the lack of sleep part I can forgo) , I felt that I really utilized my time. ;) But one thing's for sure, being a home maker ain't no easy peasy job too!
Anyway, back to today's post. I made a fruit tart, i.e. Kiwi & Blueberry with Mascarpone Cream tart. I have been wanting to make a proper fruit tart for some time now (not the mini kind), just did not find the right time to do it. And since last night was the last session of our marriage enrichment course, I thought it'll be nice to bring it there to share with all my good friends.

I got the recipe from "Essential of Baking" from William Sonoma. The recipe uses strawberries, but I wanted to try something different, so I opted for the golden kiwi (sweeter then the green type) and blueberries. I halved the recipe since my tart pan is only 7" size.

Ingredients for Rich Tart Pastry:
110g all purpose flour
30g confectioner's sugar
1/8 tsp salt
63g unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk
1.5 tsp heavy cream

Method:

• Sift together flour, confectioner's sugar and salt. Scatter the cold butter over the flour mixture and rub in with your fingertips or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Beat in the egg yolk and knead well till combine. Add the heavy cream and mix till it comes together to form a soft dough. If too moist, add a pinch of flour, too dry a little more cream.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 1 hr.
• Roll out the dough between two plastic wrap to a flat disc to about 1 to 2" wider then the circumference of your tart pan.
• Carefully without breaking it, place the dough over the tart pan and gently ease the outer edges of the pa the pan, allowing the extra dough to flop over the sides. Repeat around the entire circumference of the pan and careful not to over stretch the dough.
• Using a kitchen sears, trim away the edges, leaving about 1/2inch overhang.
• Fold in the overhang into the edges of the pan, creating a double thickness to reinforce the sides of the tart crust. Freeze it for 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line the frozen tart with aluminum foil, making sure to press the foil into the fluted edges of the crust.
• Fill the foil-lined crust with either dried beans or uncooked rice. Then bake in the oven until dries out, about 15minutes. Check to see if the crust is ready by pulling one corner of the foil. If the foil sticks, the crust is not ready. Return it into the oven and bake for another 2 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and foil, then reduce the temperature to 180°C.
• Return the partially baked crust into the oven to bake for another 10 to 12 minutes till all golden brown. Transfer on to wire rack to cool completely before use.
  

Note that mascarpone cheese is not our usual Philadelphia cream cheese. It's actually a tripe-cream cheese derived from crème fraîche, denatured with tartaric acid. It's lighter, and it smells like milk and cream, a very good compliment in fruit tarts.

Ingredients for Mascarpone Cream:
125g cold mascarpone cheese
90ml heavy double cream
15g confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apricot jam
1 golden kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Method:

• In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, cream, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla using a mixer, beat at medium spead till light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Scoop the filling into the prebaked tart shell and spread evenly with spatula.
• To assemble, heat up the jam for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave. Carefully line the fruits on the tart as desired and galzed the fruits with the warm jam.
  
• Cover and chill tart until cold or up to 1 day. Unmold and serve cold.
  

The tart shell is rich and buttery, like eating a shortbread cookie, still fresh after one day in the fridge. The filling is creamy and not too sweet, went very well with the fresh fruits on top, an excellent and elegant desert to serve after dinner.
When I was leaving for my marriage enrichment course, my girls marveled at the tart and asked for a slice. So I cut out a quarter of the tart for them, haha! Luckily my friends did not mind and they still enjoyed it after eating all the other yummy food during our supper. ;D I was so glad I still managed to make this tart for my friend despite that busy schedule of mine, because food taste so much better when shared with your friends and love ones. ;)