Fourth of July Recipe: Raspberry and Blueberry Creme Tart

Photo: King Arthur Flour. This festive Berries and Creme Tart is a red, white and blueberry addition 
to a Fourth of July -- or any summer -- gathering.

From Denny:  Want to play with your food like you did when you were a carefree child?  Holidays are the perfect time to have some fun playing with recipes: adult style.  St. Patrick's Day brings about the fun of green beer so why not red, white and blue colorings for Fourth of July celebrations?

Summer berries are so refreshing this time of year when the weather turns hot and humid. Recently, at our house, we enjoyed some very sweet small blueberries imported from Mexico.  They were almost as awesome as Maine blueberries and good to enjoy before the American crops were ready.  For any raw food, especially berries, be sure to wash them in a vinegar and water bath for a few minutes before eating.  Vinegar kills off loads of bacteria and doesn't mess with the flavor like bleach does.  Vinegar is also more environmentally friendly than bleach.  

Just pull out a large mixing bowl like you would to mix up cake batter, fill it with cold water and then add about a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar.  Swirl it around to distribute the vinegar into the water.  Then dunk the entire plastic box filled with berries into the water bath, turning it so the water washes over the berries.  Do for about three minutes or so and then drain the berries.  I don't rinse with water as I want the vinegar to remain a little bit on the berries, especially the ones I don't use for the recipe as it's a snap to store in the fridge, already washed and ready to go the next time you feel like eating a handful of fresh berries as a snack!

Check out this colorful patriotic dessert sure to be a holiday winner:

Floral Blush Shoulder Bag

This customized bag is unique, functional, and durable. It's the bag you'll want to use everyday.  Design available in more handbags, wallets, totes and all sizes bedding, pajamas, pillows, blankets, area rugs and curtains too!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!

Romancing The Chocolate: Awesome Chocolate Pecan Tart

Romancing The Chocolate: Awesome Chocolate Pecan Tart: From Denny: This easy tart combines two of my favorite flavors - chocolate and pecans. Louisiana Bergeron pecans are wonderful if you can get them where you live. If not, just look for the freshest ones, even asking your grocer when a new shipment is due.

Pecans exude such a wonderful aroma when roasting in the oven that is hard to resist. Make sure you slightly warm the dessert when you serve it for the holidays. That's how we like it at our house! :)

Recipe: Lemon Tart with Almond Crust

Here in Louisiana we are big fans of the taste of lemon! We love lemon desserts, especially cakes, tarts and cookies. From a home cook in Paris, France comes this lovely easy tart. Enjoy!



Lemon Tart with Almond Crust
From: Alexandra de Waresquiel, Paris, France

Yield: 8 servings


Ingredients for the Crust:

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted

1/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon (scant amount) salt

½ cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 Tablespoons (about) ice water

½ teaspoon almond extract


Ingredients for the Filling:


2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

4 large eggs


Optional garnishes:
Toasted sliced almonds

Lemon slices

Whipped cream


Directions for Crust: Blend flour, whole toasted almonds, sugar and salt in processor until almonds are finely ground. Add chilled butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix 3 Tablespoons ice water and ½ teaspoon almond extract in small bowl; add to processor and blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap disk in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before continuing.)
Preheat oven to 375° F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan. Fold in dough overhang, pressing to adhere and forming double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Freeze 20 minutes. Bake crust until golden brown, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 30 minutes. Cool crust on rack 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Directions for Filling: Whisk lemon juice, sugar and lemon peel in medium bowl to blend. Add eggs and whisk until well blended. Pour mixture into crust. Bake tart until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.
Garnish tart with toasted almonds and lemon slices and pipe whipped cream rosettes around edges, if desired. Cut into wedges and serve.

Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Tarts

Here's an awesome easy chocolate tart for the true chocolate lover!


Bittersweet Chocolate Tarts

From: Pastry Chef Shirl Gard,
The Old Inn On The Green and Gedney Farm - New Marlborough, Massachusetts

Yield: 8 tarts

Special Equipment: eight 3 1/2” fluted tart pans



Ingredients for Chocolate Tart dough:


1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, sifted

½ cup cake flour, sifted

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

¼ cup toasted, skinned hazelnuts

3 Tablespoons sugar

9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

5 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 large egg


Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Filling:


1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

2 large egg YOLKS

6 Tablespoons superfine sugar


Directions to make dough: In bowl, whisk together flours and cocoa powder until well blended; set aside.

In bowl of food processor, combine hazelnuts and sugar and process until nuts are finely ground.

In electric mixer, using paddle attachment, mix butter with confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add ground hazelnut mixture and mix until blended. Add egg and mix until combined. Add flour mixture at low speed, mixing just until mixture starts to come together as dough. Scrape dough out onto work surface and shape into disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


Roll and bake tart shells: On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough out to a thickness of about 1/8-inch. Using a small plate or cutter as a guide, cut out eight 5” circles from dough. Ease dough circles into eight 3 1/2” tart pans, pressing dough against bottom and sides. Roll pin over top of tart pan to remove excess dough. Place dough-lined pans in freezer for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325° F. Arrange tart pans on baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, until no longer shiny. Transfer pans to wire rack and cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 225° F.


Directions to make the Filling: Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl and set aside.

In small saucepan, combine cream and milk and place over medium heat until simmering. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and let stand 30 seconds to melt chocolate. Swirl gently with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth and shiny. Cool for 10 minutes.


In small bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks and sugar. Whisk into cooled chocolate mixture. Pass through fine-mesh sieve into large glass measure with pouring spout. Place tart pans on baking sheet and pour chocolate filling into shells, filling them to within 1/8-inch from top.

Bake tarts for about 30 minutes, until shiny and almost completely set. Filling should not be puffed around edges. Cool slightly and serve warm or cool completely and serve at room temperature.


Pastry Chef Shirl Gard
The Old Inn On The Green and Gedney Farm
Route 57
New Marlborough, Massachusetts 01230
1 – 800 – 286 - 3139

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana