Cranberry Cream Cheese Tart Tested Recipe

Cranberry Cream Cheese Tart Recipe

Here is a lovely Cranberry Cream Cheese Tart that is dressed for the holiday season. It has a ginger and graham cracker crumb flavored crust, a no bake cream cheese filling, and is topped with a delicious homemade Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce. It is quick and easy to make and is enjoyed by both children and adults.

This is an easy dessert to put together as it uses a graham cracker crumb crust which is, by far, the simplest of all the pie crusts. If you have problems with getting the right crust consistency, the test to see if you have the right amount of crumbs to melted butter is, once you have mixed the ingredients together, to squeeze some in your fist and if they hold together, you have the perfect crust. To liven up the flavor of the crust with a subtle ginger taste, I have added some crushed ginger cookies along with the graham cracker crumbs. Once the crust is made and left to chill in the refrigerator, the next step is to simply mix the filling ingredients together. The filling is then poured into the crust, covered, and left to chill in the refrigerator several hours or even overnight.

While this tart is excellent with a medley of fresh berries, it is lovely with a Cran-Raspberry Sauce. The sauce has a nice sweet tangy flavor and is made by cooking fresh cranberries and either fresh or frozen raspberries with sugar and a little lemon or orange zest. If you like you can also add a splash of cherry brandy (Kirschwasser or Kirsch). I like to serve the sauce separate, alongside the tart, so everyone can have as much, or as little, as they like.

Crust: Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, ginger cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a well greased 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. (A spring form pan can also be used. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about one inch (2.5 cm) up the sides of the pan.) Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.

Filling: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla extract.

In a clean bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually fold or beat the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the filling over the chilled graham cracker crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve with the Cran-Raspberry Sauce.

Cran-Raspberry Sauce: In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and is bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool. (Note: taste and add more sugar as needed.) Cover and store in the refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups (480 ml).

Serves about 6 - 8 people. Preparation time 25 minutes.

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 cup (100 grams) graham cracker crumbs or digestive biscuits (crushed)

1/2 cup (50 grams) crushed ginger cookies (homemade or store bought)

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated white sugar

5 - 6 tablespoons (70 - 85 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

One 8-ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream

Cran-Raspberry Sauce:

3 cups (300 grams) frozen unsweetened raspberries

2 cups (200 grams) fresh cranberries

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar (or more to taste)

Zest of a lemon or orange (optional)