By Labor Day Monday. All kids came home for the weekend — Tyler from Milford, Justin from UNK, Amber from Kearney. House full for three days. Glorious. Loud. Gayle was in her chair beaming.
Drove Wednesday, short.
Justin's first college scrimmage was Saturday. Walk-on. He was not in the game. He watched. He came home quiet. Dave said, "Be patient, Justin. You walk on, you earn your spot." Justin said, "I know, Dad." He went running at 5 a.m. Sunday.
Tyler's classes started Monday. He is loving them. Diesel theory, engine mechanics, shop safety.
Sunday dinner: fried chicken, Gayle's rolls, pie. Eight at the table (full Novak muster plus Eli).
With eight at the table and everyone finally home under one roof, I wanted a dessert that felt as special as the occasion — something pretty enough to set down in front of the whole crew and watch their faces light up. Gayle’s rolls and the fried chicken did the heavy lifting at dinner, but the tart was the finishing touch, the thing that said “this was worth coming home for.” Fruit and cream and a buttery crust — simple, but it looked like a celebration.
Vanilla Cream Fruit Tart
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 45 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cubed
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups assorted fresh fruit (strawberries, kiwi slices, blueberries, mandarin segments)
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Make the crust. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour and powdered sugar in a bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
- Bake the crust. Bake for 18–20 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the filling. Beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold gently into the cream cheese mixture.
- Fill the tart. Spread the cream filling evenly into the cooled crust. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Arrange the fruit. Slice and arrange fresh fruit over the chilled cream layer in any pattern you like — concentric circles work beautifully, or just pile it on generously.
- Glaze and serve. Stir apricot preserves and water together in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Lightly brush over the fruit to give it a glossy finish. Slice and serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 160mg