When the winter snow finally begins melting, I instantly begin dreaming of the fresh produce that spring and summer will bring. This Strawberry Lemonade Fruit Tart combines the best of winter (lemon citrus) with the best of spring and summer (fresh strawberries). The miracle of this recipe is how quickly everything comes together. While the tart crust cools, you can make the filling, which requires no cooking and no chill time. You can decorate this fruit tart as simply or as elaborately as you please!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Try baking it in a 9-inch pie plate or an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper to make it easy to remove the cookie base from the pan. Just be aware, if the crust is spread into a thinner layer, it will bake more quickly! Keep an eye on it.
Yes, I would recommend replacing the cream cheese with 8 ounces of mascarpone cheese for a less tangy filling.
Yes, you can easily swap vanilla extract for the vanilla bean paste. I would recommend using real vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla for this recipe. Imitation vanilla will give a slightly artificial taste. This recipe would also be lovely with almond extract—but start with only 1/4 teaspoon and taste before adding more—it’s quite potent!
Strawberry Lemonade Fruit Tart
- Prep Time 25 min
- Total 1 hr 40 min
- Servings 10
- Ingredients 10
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 pouch (6.25 oz) Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon water
Filling
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping
- 2/3 cup lemon curd (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
Instructions
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Step1
Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans). Lightly grease the bottom of a 9-inch tart pan with a 1-inch rim and removable bottom with butter (see Tips). Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
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Step2
In a medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, and water with a wooden spoon until dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of the tart pan. Place the baking sheet and tart pan in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven to a heatproof surface. Lift one side of the baking sheet a few inches off the surface and drop the pan to deflate the cookie crust. Cool completely.
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Step3
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt with an electric hand mixer on low speed until blended. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and stiff.
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Step4
Remove the sides of the tart pan. Spread about half of the cream cheese filling over the top of the cookie crust.
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Step5
Pipe the remaining cream cheese filling over the top of the tart, as desired. Top with the lemon curd.
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Step6
Decorate with fresh strawberry slices, as desired. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 1 (9-inch) tart.
