Strawberry Almond Cream Tart

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 teaspoons water
• 2/3 cup light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 6 cups small fresh strawberries, divided
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 to prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly.
• 3 add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and water; pulse just until moist.
• 4 place mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch.
• 5 bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• 6 cool completely on a wire rack.
• 7 to prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth.
• 8 spread mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.
• 9 to prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until pureed.
• 10 combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk.
• 11 bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• 12 reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute.
• 13 remove glaze from heat, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• 14 combine 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat.
• 15 arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling.
• 16 spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use).
• 17 sprinkle nuts around edge.
• 18 cover and chill 3 hours.
• 19 note: you can use either an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan or a 9-inch round tart pan. the recipe also works with a 9-inch springform pan and a 10-inch pie plate.