did your parents ever bring you home some delicious cheese and fruit danish as a kid? you know, the one drizzled with frosting, so perfectly flakey and delicious. well i have been dying for one. but this little 26 week pregnant bod feels TERRIBLE when i eat too much sugar.

so as a fill in, i whipped up this more adult version with creamy ricotta cheese, honey instead of sugar a fruit filling that will please both children and adults. these little bites go down way to easy and could easily be served as a breakfast treat, a passed appetizer or a tasty dessert.

mixed berry & rhubarb + ricotta tartlets

serves: 12 tartlets

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1 sheet of puff pastry dough (store bought works great or you could use THIS quick and easy one that i like to use). 1 tbs ricotta cheese (you can find my recipe HERE). 10 strawberries, diced. 10 blackberries, halved. 1 stick rhubarb, diced. .25 cup honey. 2 tbs orange juice + the zest of one orange. 1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped. couple pinches of kosher salt. flour for dusting. rolling pin. muffin tin. 1 tbs veggie oil or baking spray. optional: 12 edible flowers or 12 berry slice for garnish.

start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees f. in a small saucepan, combine your berries, rhubarb, honey, orange zest and juice, tarragon and the pinch of salt. stir well to combine and place it over a medium heat. once the liquid starts to boil, reduce the flame to medium low and allow the fruit to simmer till it makes a nice sauce. about 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the bottom doesn’t stick and burn.

while your berries are cooking, lightly dust a work surface with the flour and roll out your sheet of puff pastry to a large rectangle.

slice the rectangle into 12 pieces. give each piece an additional roll so they are as square as you can get them and about 1/8th and inch thick. prick each all over with a fork pretty liberally.

spray or oil your muffin tin. fill each muffin hole with a puff pastry square.

bake the tartlets for 12-15 minutes till they are lightly golden brown and puffed up. use the back of a spoon to push any really puffy centers back down into the tin.

fill each tin with 1 tbs of ricotta cheese. by now, your berries should be thick and all the liquid reduced. spoon about 1 tbs of berries into each tartlet. bake again for an additional 5-7 minutes till puff pastry is really golden and crisp on all the edges. allow the tarts to cool slightly.

top with berry or flower garnish.

serve warm or at room temperature.

xo, a

mixed berry & rhubarb + ricotta tartlets

serves: 12 tartlets

prep time: 10 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

ingredients: 1 sheet of puff pastry dough (store bought works great or you could use THIS quick and easy one that i like to use). 1 tbs ricotta cheese (you can find my recipe HERE). 10 strawberries, diced. 10 blackberries, halved. 1 stick rhubarb, diced. .25 cup honey. 2 tbs orange juice + the zest of one orange. 1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped. couple pinches of kosher salt. flour for dusting. rolling pin. muffin tin. 1 tbs veggie oil or baking spray. optional: 12 edible flowers or 12 berry slice for garnish.

start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees f. in a small saucepan, combine your berries, rhubarb, honey, orange zest and juice, tarragon and the pinch of salt. stir well to combine and place it over a medium heat. once the liquid starts to boil, reduce the flame to medium low and allow the fruit to simmer till it makes a nice sauce. about 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the bottom doesn’t stick and burn. while your berries are cooking, lightly dust a work surface with the flour and roll out your sheet of puff pastry to a large rectangle. slice the rectangle into 12 pieces. give each piece an additional roll so they are as square as you can get them and about 1/8th and inch thick. prick each all over with a fork pretty liberally. spray or oil your muffin tin. fill each muffin hole with a puff pastry square. bake the tartlets for 12-15 minutes till they are lightly golden brown and puffed up. use the back of a spoon to push any really puffy centers back down into the tin. fill each tin with 1 tbs of ricotta cheese. by now, your berries should be thick and all the liquid reduced. spoon about 1 tbs of berries into each tartlet. bake again for an additional 5-7 minutes till puff pastry is really golden and crisp on all the edges. allow the tarts to cool slightly. top with berry or flower garnish and serve warm or at room temperature.

it's not that often anymore, but every once in a while, a client orders a dessert other than a cake. we recently catered for a party that had a gluten free hostess, so i was really challenged to create some desserts that were just as delicious and even more beautiful than their gluten full friends. 

tweaking the classic shortbread crust on this tart was surprisingly easy. and in my opinion, the addition of almond flavor really stepped things up a notch. not only is the tart delicious, because your not baking the filling, you can really set the berries in any style you like. you can throw them in at random or build a really beautiful pattern. the world is your oyster. 

blueberry lemon tart + gluten free almond crust
serves: 8-10
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
bake time: 20 minutes
total time: 45 minutes
ingredients: 2 cups almond flour. .25 cup sugar. .25 tsp kosher salt. 4 tbs butter, cubed, plus 1 tsp to butter the tart pan. .5 tsp vanilla extract. 1 egg. 2 cups greek yogurt. 1 cup lemon curd. 1 cup blueberries. baby mint leaves as desired. rectangular or 8-9 inch round tart pan. 

start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. in a food processor or in a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla extract and the egg. 

pulse (or mix) until the mixture forms a rough ball. 

lightly butter the base and edges of your tart pan and dump your dough into the tart pan. 

using your fingers, gently press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan and up the edges. 

prick the base of your dough with a fork a generously and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges begin to lightly brown. remove the shell from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.

while the shell is cooling, combine the lemon curd and greek yogurt. 

stir till it is completely combined. 

pour the lemon yogurt filling into the tart shell. 

add in your blueberries and any mint you like in your desired pattern. 

serve immediately or chill in the fridge until ready to serve. can be made a day or two in advance. 

xo, a

blueberry lemon tart + gluten free almond crust
serves: 8-10
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 20 minutes
bake time: 20 minutes
total time: 45 minutes
ingredients: 2 cups almond flour. .25 cup sugar. .25 tsp kosher salt. 4 tbs butter, cubed, plus 1 tsp to butter the tart pan. .5 tsp vanilla extract. 1 egg. 2 cups greek yogurt. 1 cup lemon curd. 1 cup blueberries. baby mint leaves as desired. rectangular or 8-9 inch round tart pan.
start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees f. in a food processor or in a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla extract and the egg. pulse (or mix) until the mixture forms a rough ball. lightly butter the base and edges of your tart pan and dump your dough into the tart pan. using your fingers, gently press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan and up the edges. prick the base of your dough with a fork a generously and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges begin to lightly brown. remove the shell from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. while the shell is cooling, combine the lemon curd and greek yogurt. stir till it is completely combined. pour the lemon yogurt filling into the tart shell. add in your blueberries and any mint you like in your desired pattern. serve immediately or chill in the fridge until ready to serve. can be made a day or two in advance.