Key Lime Tarts

This recipe can be easily doubled to make as many tarts as you need.
24 Key Lime Cooler cookies
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice, preferably Key lime
1 teaspoon lime zest
Fresh sweetened whipped cream
Mint leaves or lime zest, for garnishPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Fill 2 (12-muffin) mini muffin tins with paper cups and spray cups with cooking spray. Place 1 Key Lime Cooler cookie in the bottom of each cup, flat side down.
Prepare filling. Beat together cream cheese, egg, sugar, lime juice, and zest until well mixed. Fill the cups to the top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove tarts to cool. When completely cool, fit a star tip in a pastry bag and fill with the whipped cream. Pipe the whipped cream on top of the tarts. Garnish with tiny mint leaves or lime zest.

Mango Cream Tart

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups sliced ripe mango (about 1-1/2 mangoes)*
• 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt or dairy sour cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Fresh fruit (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
3. On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 13-inch circle. Ease pastry into an ungreased 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press pastry into pan; trim edges. Prick bottom and sides of pastry. Line with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. For filling, in a heavy, medium saucepan stir together sugar, cornstarch, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place sliced mango in blender container or food processor bowl. Cover; blend or process until smooth (should have 1-1/2 cups). Stir mango and yogurt or sour cream into sugar mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
5. Slightly beat egg yolks, Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into egg yolks. Pour egg yolk mixture into hot filling in saucepan. Bring to gentle boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice.
6. Pour warm filling into pastry shell. Cool for 1 hour on wire rack. Chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving; cover for longer storage. If desired, garnish with fresh fruit. Makes 8 servings.
*Note: You can use fresh mangos or refrigerated mango slices in a jar found in the supermarket produce section.

Apricot Pie

Pastry Dough
(recipe follows)

Ingredients:

• 
  
• 2 lbs fresh apricots
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 400ºF with rack in lower third.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Chill pie shell in freezer 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pull apricots (with skins) apart into halves, discarding pits. Melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, then stir in sugar, flour, and nutmeg and remove from heat. Cool mixture until firm enough to crumble, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Put apricots in pie shell and crumble butter mixture over them. Bake pie, with a foil-lined baking pan on rack below it (to catch drips), 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF and continue to bake until top is golden, 50 minutes to 1 hour more.
• Cool pie to warm or room temperature on a rack.

Pastry Dough:

Makes enough dough for a single-crust 9-inch pie or a 10- to 11-inch tart

• 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

• Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.

To blend by hand:

• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water evenly over and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.

To blend in a food processor:

• Pulse together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times, or just until incorporated.

Test mixture:

• Gently squeeze a small handful: It should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn't, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring or pulsing 2 or 3 times after each addition until incorporated (keep testing). (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

Form dough:

• Turn out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Dough can be chilled up to 1 day.

Apricot Raspberry Pie

A sugared buttery crust provides a touch of sweetness to balance the tang of juicy apricot and raspberry filling.

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• Pastry Dough (follows)
  
• 1 1/2 lb firm-ripe apricots (8 large), cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 1 1/2 cups raspberries (7 oz)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• Place a baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Whisk together cornstarch, salt, and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round and fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate (4-cup capacity). Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell while rolling out dough for top crust.
• Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 11-inch round.
• Stir apricots into sugar mixture until combined, then gently stir in raspberries and spoon filling into shell.
• Cover pie with pastry round and trim with kitchen shears, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of pie with egg and sprinkle all over with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a sharp small knife.
• Bake pie on hot baking sheet 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes more. Cool pie on a rack at least 2 hours before serving.

Pastry Dough

Makes enough for a double-crust 9-inch pie

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with rest in small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
• Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water evenly over and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in processor) until incorporated.
• Gently squeeze a small handful: It should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesn’t, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) after each addition until incorporated, continuing to test. (Do not overwork dough or it will become tough.)
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into 2 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather each portion of dough and form it, rotating on a work surface, into a disk. Wrap disks separately in wax paper and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Peach and Boysenberry Cobbler

For the fruit mixture:

6 large, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 5 cups)
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups boysenberries or raspberries
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

For the pastry and toppings:

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine peaches, tapioca, sugar, and salt. Gently mix in berries and vinegar. Taste for balance and add more vinegar, if desired. Spoon mixture into an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and baking powder. Work in the butter using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms large pea sized lumps. This can also be done with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or with brief pulses in a food processor. Slowly mix in 3/4 cup heavy cream until just combined.

Gather dough together into a ball and knead gently on a lightly floured board until it holds together. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round or star cutter, cut dough into shapes. Place them decoratively on the fruit mixture. Brush pastry with 1 tablespoon of cream and then sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Bake until pastry is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly, about 40 minutes. Put cobbler under broiler for a few seconds to brown pastry, if necessary.

Beat remaining 1 cup of cream in a medium bowl with a whisk or electric mixer on high. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Beat until it holds soft peaks, and then add the vanilla. Serve with cobbler.

Peach & Blueberry Crisp

Spiced-Pecan Topping

Ingredients:

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened; more for the pan
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. table salt
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 cups (about 1 lb.) room-temperature blueberries, washed and drained on paper towels
3 medium peaches (about 1 lb.), halved, pitted, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square metal or ceramic baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp. of the salt. With your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture readily clumps together when pressed. Mix in the pecans.

In a large bowl, toss the blueberries and peaches. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the cornstarch, nutmeg, and the remaining 1/8 tsp. salt and toss this mixture with the fruit.

Spread the fruit into the prepared baking pan. Pressing the streusel into small lumps, sprinkle it over the fruit. Bake until the fruit is bubbling in the center and the topping is crisp and well browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Citrus Chiffon Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe Pretzel Crust (recipe below)
• 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2/3 cups refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 4 teaspoons finely shredded lime peel
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons tequila or orange juice
• Several drops green food coloring (optional)
• Glazed Shredded Lime Peel (see recipe below) (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare and bake Pretzel Crust; set aside to cool.

2. For filling, in a small saucepan soften gelatin in the cold water. Cook and stir over low heat just until gelatin dissolves.

3. Meanwhile, in a chilled bowl combine whipping cream and vanilla. Beat with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Keep chilled (do not hold longer than 30 minutes).

4. Remove gelatin from heat; transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in egg product, sugar, lemonade concentrate, lime peel and juice, tequila, and, if desired, green food coloring. Chill until mixture just begins to mound when spooned, stirring occasionally (the gelatin sets up quickly, about 5 to 6 minutes).

5. Beat gelatin mixture with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 4 minutes. Immediately fold the whipped cream into gelatin mixture. Chill again until mixture mounds when spooned (about 1 to 2 minutes).

6. Spoon filling into Pretzel Crust. Loosely cover and chill for 4 to 6 hours or until firm. Garnish with Glazed Shredded Lime Peel, if desired, Serves 10.

7. Glazed Shredded Lime Peel: Shred the peel from 3 limes (you should have about 2 tablespoons peel). In a small bowl stir together 1 tablespoon water and 1-1/2 teaspoons refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed. Dip shredded lime peel in egg mixture. Remove from mixture using a fork and allow to drain; place on waxed paper, separating shreds of peel. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar. Let dry in refrigerator on waxed paper 2 to 4 hours.

8. Pretzel Crust: Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray coating. In a medium saucepan melt 1/3 cup butter; stir in 3 tablespoons sugar. Add 3-1/2 cups pretzels, coarsely crushed into 1/8- to 1/4-inch pieces (1-1/4 cups crusted), then 1 egg white (optional), if using (egg white gives a firmer but less crunchy crust). Toss to mix well. Spread evenly into prepared pie plate. Press onto bottom and sides to form a firm, even crust. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.