Blackberry Cheesecake Tarts

If you haven't figured out by now, I have a bit of a sweet tooth that is just barely reigned in day after day (and on some days not at all).  Being health-conscious and having a sweet tooth is generally a tough juggling act.  Sort of like being a mini-version of Sybil, minus a few personalities.  I am of the opinion though that you should be able to have your dessert, and eat it too...without having to skip dinner for the privilege.  My recipe for blackberry goat cheese tarts, which I am oh so happy to share, is a perfect medley of good-for-you and deliciousness...in some very sensible (not to mention kind of endearing) portion sizes.  So go ahead and eat dinner for Heaven's sake...and make sure you save just a little room for one or two of these little gems.





I love berries and try to find what looks best in the markets from week to week when they are at the height of their respective seasons.  If you are blessed enough to have some growing in your garden (I am so jealous), even better!  This tart is high in protein due to the goat cheese and the eggs in the filling, and to the nuts and egg yolk in the crust, and is bursting with the flavor of summer thanks to the beautifully ripe blackberries.  Whole wheat pastry flour is used in the crust to help bind all the ingredients and to provided a complimentary nuttiness of flavor while imparting all those wonderful whole wheat health benefits.  So simple, yet just right, especially this time of year when those heavier desserts just seem, well, too heavy.  

Goat cheese is a wonderful substitution for cream cheese and is great for baking.  The flavor is nearly identical but I find the texture lighter, which I think works perfectly with fruit--not too overpowering or cloying, which lets the flavor or the fruit shine through and be the star it should.  It is also all natural and 100% cheese, no other strange or questionable ingredients, which appeals to my inner hippie.  You can find goat cheese just about everywhere these days, and it is available at a very reasonable price at the big warehouse stores.  I found mine at the local Whole Foods for pennies more than I would've spend on traditional cream cheese.  The texture contrasts work so well in this recipe.  The berries retain some body, the goat cheese mixture is smooth and creamy, and the nut crust finishes off everything with some toothy chew and crunch.

Special desserts don't always have to be complicated, and I think that is what's nice about this recipe.  It is so easy to throw together, and bakes up in a flash, while still being special.  You'll probably spend more time getting them out of the pan, glazing and decorating them then you will getting them in the oven (especially if you forget to grease the pan like I did, grrrr)!

The glaze is certainly optional, or you could just pop open a jar of preserves and warm that up instead.  I had quite a few extra berries and decided to boil them down into a glaze.  I couldn't refrain from adding a touch of rose water, but that is really very optional and could be left out entirely.  I drizzled just a little bit on each berry to add some shine and another layer of flavor, but also to give the zest something to hold onto.  Add as little or as much as you would like.

I have strained out the seeds when making this glaze in the past, but thought I would leave them in this time for some added texture and interest.  You can strain them out with a fine mesh sieve if you would like.  The lemon zest compliments and brightens the natural sweetness of the blackberries...and I hardly ever need much of an excuse to find ways to give in to my profound citrus addiction!  For these tarts, I actually used a tablespoon of the crust mixture for each tart, but felt afterwards that the ratio between filling and crust was off, so I have tapered the amount of crust for each tart back a bit in the recipe below.  It should result in more filling and less crust, which I think will be a better balance.

 These are definitely two- or three-bite desserts, which I think are sometimes just right, especially in the summer months when something a little bit lighter for dessert seems best.  It is a great way to celebrate the best of summer by varying whichever berry or fruit 'jewel' you choose to feature on top.  It really is so much more fun to have your cake (or tart) and be able to not only eat it but truly enjoy it too!

Blackberry Cheesecake Tarts

Filling:

10 ounces goat cheese 

2 eggs

1/3 cup turbinado/natural sugar

Flavoring of choice (I made mine plain), such as 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, orange extract, almond extract, honey, lavender...you get the idea

Topping:

4 ounces of blackberries, OR raspberries, OR fruit of choice (8 ounces total are needed if making glaze)

Zest of one lemon for garnish

Crust:

1 cup toasted sliced almonds (or nut of choice), cooled and chopped fine

3-4  tablespoons sugar, to taste

2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon almond oil

1 egg yolk

Glaze:

4 ounces of berries
1-2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on the sweetness of the berries
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rose flower water, optional
2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, mix the melted butter, oil and egg yolk together and lightly mix with a fork.  Mix this with all of the other crust ingredients together, making sure to evenly distribute the yolk, oil and melted butter throughout the remaining ingredients.  It should resemble bread crumbs.  Press this mixture into mini tart molds or a large springform pan.  If using the mini tart/muffin pan like mine, scoop two level teaspoons of the crust mixture into each spot, and level off with your fingers or a measuring spoon, pressing down.  Bake the crust mixture for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, beat the goat cheese and sugar together on low speed until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, on low, making sure to incorporate well after each addition, while also scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as well as the paddle.  If adding any flavoring, add now.  Scoop one tablespoon of filling into each muffin, or pour into your pan of choice.  Place a single berry onto the center of each tart, pressing gently (or sprinkle over the top if making a larger tart).  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until set.  Set aside to cool on a rack for 10 minutes.  With a sharp knife, gently nudge the filling away from the side of the pan, wiping the knife clean before moving on to the next tart.  

While the tarts are baking, cook down the remaining berries with the other glaze ingredients.   Bring gently to a boil for one or two minutes, mashing the berries with a fork.  Set aside.  Let cool slightly.  Mixture will thicken as it sets--add more liquid as necessary.  Brush a small amount of glaze over each cooled berry.  Place the entire pan in the refrigerator to continue cooling, for at least several hours until completely cooled and set.  Remove the tart(s) from the pan, garnish with a few strips of lemon zest or garnish of choice.