Blackberry Tarts

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup shortening or 1/4 cup lard
• 2 -3 tablespoons ice water
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon orange extract
• 1/4 cup red currant jelly
• 2 teaspoons blackberry liqueur or 2 teaspoons creme de cassis
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Recipe

• 1 to make the pastry: in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. using 2 knives or a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until the pieces are pea size.
• 2 sprinkle 1 tbsp cold water over the mixture. toss with a fork, and push the dough to the side of the bowl. repeat with the remaining water until all the dough is moistened.
• 3 shape the dough into a ball. wrap it in plastic and then refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
• 4 form the chilled dough into 6 equal portions, and roll each portion into a ball. press one of the balls between 2 pieces of floured wax paper to create a 5-inch circle. repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
• 5 press each circle into a 4-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. trim off excess dough. place the tart pans on a baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes.
• 6 preheat oven to 400°f use a fork to prick the cold pastry dough all over. line the pastry shells with small squares of foil and fill the foil with dried beans or pie weights.
• 7 bake for 10 minutes, or until the pastry begins to brown around the edges. remove the foil and weights. prick the pastry and bake for 7-9 minutes. cool on a wire rack.
• 8 to make the filling: in a small bowl, combine cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. beat with electric mixer at medium speed until blended. with the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the heavy cream and orange extract. beat at medium speed until mixture is thick (about 1 minute).
• 9 to make the glaze: in small heavy saucepan, melt the jelly and liqueur over medium heat, stirring often. strain the mixture through a cheesecloth. let cool slightly.
• 10 to assemble the tart: spoon the filling into the bottom of each tart shell. arrange the blackberries on top of the filling. spoon the glaze over the berries.
• 11 refrigerate the tarts until serving time.