Thursday, June 30, 2011

Let's Get Fresh!

Sometimes, women are so hard to figure out. For instance, the other night smokin hot wife and I were sitting on the couch while I worked on the computer and she watched the Casey Anthony murder trial when, suddenly, she says: 'Luv Muffin, let's get fresh'. I said: 'Now?' she says:'MmmHmm'. Well, I was engrossed in my work, but I do my best to be loving and accommodating, so I logged off the computer, slipped on my flip flops, grabbed my mini-mag flashlight, and headed to the garden. As the bugs swarmed to my flashlight, I remember thinking; 'She better appreciate this!' Soon I was in the midst of tomato bushes and cucumber vines picking whatever ripe treasures I could find to satisfy her late night fresh craving. It wasn't long before I was regretting my decision as wave after wave of mosquito descended in swarms of Kamikaze furor. I believe them 'skeeters' in my backyard somehow crossbred with falcons because it felt like they were not only sucking my blood, but trying to carry me away to the comfort of their own home. I'm sure the neighbors wondered what was happening as I ran back to the house with a flashlight in my mouth, one hand holding my shirt full of veggies, the other waving frantically over my head, and screaming AHHHHHH.  I busted through the door feeling like the first ever survivor of a Stephen King horror film; 'Skeeter's of Sparrow Swamp'.

Now, here's the part that confuses me. After risking my life harvesting fresh veggies and turning them into a delicious snack, all she did was pout and tell me odd things I could do with my salsa. Yep, women are just so hard to figure out.



Obviously, we all have different ideas of Fresh.  For some, fresh brings thoughts of clean sheets and clothes doused in fabric softener. For others, it means fruit from the garden at the peak of ripeness. Maybe some hear fresh and flashback to glory days of past when they were slapped (or slapped someone) on a date. When you hear fresh, what pops into your head?

For me, as summer swoops in with heat waves and parched throats, fresh means baskets of delicious fruit, locally grown and picked at the peak of flavor.  Fruit for ice cream, smoothies, granita, sorbet, etc. You've seen the posts and drooled in envy, just like me.  Well, I decided to make some individual treats that would showcase the flavor and freshness of seasonal fruit and give it a little elegant touch and eye appeal. They make great snacks, gifts, brunch items, or just regular ole family dessert.  They're simple and tasty, yet are sure to impress your company. I hope you enjoy these 'Sugar Cookie Tarts'.




Sugar Cookie Tarts:

Sugar Cookies 3"-4" round- Use your favorite recipe or slice and bake for super simplicity
White Coating Chocolate
Pastry Cream, Vanilla Yogurt, Whipped Topping, etc.
Seasonal Fresh Fruit
Apricot Jelly- Warmed and thinned to brushing consistency



These are the easiest 'Fancy' treats you'll ever make. I was rushed so I bought slice and bake sugar cookies. If I had made them from scratch, I would have used a scalloped cutter for a slightly fancier look, but I'm sure noone will complain about these =)  I can't remember the last time I bought slice and bake cookies, but since the focus here is the fruit, I figured let's make it easy enough for even a rank beginner.

Step1:  Slice and bake the cookies.


Step 2:  Melt white chocolate coating and apply to cookies and allow to harden. This prevents the cookies from getting soggy from the pastry cream and fruit.




Step 3: Apply Pastry Cream, Vanilla Yogurt, etc. Then apply fruit as you desire.


Step 4: Use a pastry brush and apply warmed and thinned apricot jam to the tops of tarts to create a nice shine and lock out air which turns them brown!!

Step 5: Eat and enjoy!

I had a cookie left so I decided to get off track a little and made a Nutella, banana, whip cream, and toasted coconut tart.  I haven't had this much fun getting fresh since the senior prom. Of course, I got slapped then!

16 comments:

  1. Let's admit it: that Nutella, Banana, Coconut Cookie was for me right!? I'll be expecting it in the mail!

    Love how you explain to coat the tops with chocolate so your cookie does not get soggy. No one likes a soggy cookie, that's for sure!

    Great easy recipe, thanks for sharing friend!

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  2. What a beautiful idea!!!! I honestly from the pic thought it was a tart like at a la patessiere:-) What a creative idea, and could be a fun recipe to make with kids:-)
    Hugs, Terra

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  3. Lovely, just lovely. Perfect midnight snack. You're wife is lucky alan!

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  4. You read my mind! Now I don't have to think (Thank God!)

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  5. I love this idea! My kids like different fruits so they could create their own! I never ever would have thought to coat with chocolate so the cookies don't get soggy!

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  6. YUM! These look tasty. I used to make fruit pizza, which is basically the same thing, just bigger. You're wife is a lucky lady!

    PS - Do you have deer flies in the South? Here in the Northeast, they've just started to appear and they are the absolute WORST! Hurts like hell if you get bit, and they are relentless. You can smack the shit out of them, and they still seem to suck blood in their death. Zombie flies.

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  7. This is a fabulous idea! Yum Yum, I want the Nutella one.

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  8. That Nutella/banana extravaganza looks like winner! But, we're talking fresh fruit, right? Right. All the tarts are lovely, and those plums look exceptionally beautiful! :)

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  9. LOL You're a great writer. I was seriously wondering, "What???" when I read the first few sentences. You got us!

    These look awesome and easy. And fresh. I'm strongly considering these as I was planning to make sugar cookies and have fresh strawberries and whipping cream...

    Cheers!

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  10. Aww Alan this cookie fruit tarts look awesome. So perfect. Jonathan here is the omelet guy but that's where his repertoire begins and ends. lol Happy 4th of July weekend at the beach my friend!

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  11. Love how you dressed up those cookies! Half cookie, half fruit. Perfect balance :)

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  12. Lovely cookie-tarts. They look as good as anything I've seen in a French bakery window.

    Smokin hot wife is very lucky.

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  13. listen Mr! those cookies are just too perfect and pretty! they look great!
    and that banana and nutella one YUUUMMMMM!
    fran
    @francys_mariel

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  14. Read this at about 2am the other morning during a bout of insomnia and wanted to come back to comment...I love this idea! It's such a fun shortcut for sweet little fruit tarts. And the coating with chocolate is such a great tip. For a non-baker like me, I'm thrilled to see the slice and bake sugar cookie shortcut!

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  15. This looks like a perfect snack & a dessert..great great idea to top with fruits for freshness..Thank you for stopping by!

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  16. I can relate to your description of the mosquitoes. Hailing from the great state of Alabama and currently living in Florida, I have grown up with massive mosquitoes. Floridians are fond of saying that mosquitoes are the native bird. I love your interpretation of this tart. I have used sugar cookie dough to make a fruit pizza. These little tartlets would be easier for young children (read: two year old twin grandchildren) to hold. Thank you for the inspiration.

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