Fresh Fruit Tart with Gingersnap Crust
Submitted by Bobbi Hill on May 13, 2009

Everyone will think you are a gourmet cook after you serve this! It's a real treat.

Servings:
6

Complexity:   
Easy

Total Time:
40 minutes

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
2 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 38 cookies)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening

For the Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Fruit Topping:
Assorted fruit (such as strawberry slices, blueberries, kiwi slices, orange segments, seedless grape halves)
1/4 cup Smucker’s Apricot Preserves
1 tablespoon water

For the Garnish:
Fresh mint leaves, optional

Directions:
FOR THE CRUST:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together gingersnap crumbs and sugar. With a pastry blender or two knives, blend in Crisco until crumbs are moistened and begin to clump together. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake crust 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Let crust cool completely before filling.

FOR THE FILLING:
In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add cream and mix on high speed until light and fluffy. Using a rubber spatula, spread filling over cooled crust. Refrigerate tart several hours.

TO ASSEMBLE THE TART:
Just before serving, arrange fruit on top of filling in a decorative fashion. In a small bowl, whisk together Smucker’s Apricot Preserves with water; brush mixture over fruit using a pastry brush. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

Cook's Notes:
Makes one 10-inch tart.