So Many Berries, So Little Time

Summer harvest yields a multitude of irresistible sunshine-enhanced berries. When I saw the bounty of blueberries and strawberries for sale at the market this week, I couldn’t pass without buying some. I froze half of each for later, then started thinking about what to do with the fresh berries I had leftover. Since it was about a zillion degrees outside, I wanted to do something that involved as little cooking as possible. Hence, the fresh fruit tartlettes:

These are super simple to make, either in the mini or full size version. As a shortcut I used store bought pie crust and instant pudding; normally I would make both from scratch, but it’s hot and I wanted to spend time relaxing, not slaving over a hot stove stirring custard…

Chocolate and strawberries: a winning combination.

If you want to make these at home, simply use your favorite pastry dough or store brand. Roll it out to about 1/4″ thick and cut into circles using a cookie cutter or glass that is about 1/2 inch larger than your pie tin. If you’re making an 8 or 9 inch pie, just roll out the dough, put the pie plate on it and cut a circle about 2 inches wider than the plate. Press the dough into the pie tin, making sure to trim the edges. I stab the bottoms of mine with a fork a few times before baking so the pastry doesn’t puff up. Bake the shells empty as directed by your recipe. Let them cool, then fill with pastry cream, chocolate mousse, pudding, lemon curd, whipped cream, or whatever else you can dream up! Decorate with as many fresh berries as you can and enjoy.

Eat something fresh today.

What’s your favorite way to use fresh berries?