Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar (for crust)
  • 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 2 (8 oz) packages Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream, very cold
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest (freshly grated)
  • 1 pint Fresh Strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 pint Fresh Raspberries
  • 1 cup Fresh Blueberries
  • 1/2 cup Apricot or Strawberry Jam (Optional Glaze)
  • 1 tablespoon Hot Water or Lemon Juice (Optional Glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Crust: In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when squeezed.
  2. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Ensure the edges are dense. Place the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  3. Create the Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until completely smooth and lump-free (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides.
  4. Whip the cold heavy cream separately until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two stages using a rubber spatula. Stop mixing the moment streaks of cream disappear.
  5. Assemble and Chill: Spoon the creamy filling into the chilled crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top surface. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally, overnight, until the filling is firm to the touch.
  6. Decorate: Once fully set, carefully remove the tart from the outer ring of the pan. Arrange the blueberries in the top-left quadrant. Arrange the sliced strawberries and fresh raspberries in alternating rows across the rest of the tart to create red stripes.
  7. Glaze and Serve (Optional): Warm the jam with the hot water/lemon juice until runny, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the berries for shine. Keep refrigerated until ready to slice and serve.