Star Spangled Berry Tarts

It's 4th of July this week, so in honor of this all-American holiday we're bringing you red, white, and blue themed posts all week long! To start us off, I wanted to share this easy and delicious berry tart recipe. It's great for summer potlucks and what better treat to have on the 4th than tons of fresh red and blue berries?!

This recipe reminds me of fruit pizza, but it's a little more on the savory side thanks to the crescent dough crust instead of using sugar cookie dough. It's a refreshing twist on the classic, and you are able to eat more of the tart since it isn't overwhelmingly sweet. It also allows you the option of serving it as a pre-dinner appetizer instead of only as a dessert. 

Printable Recipe HERE

Here's the step-by-step recipe to make this treat for family and friends this Friday!

Pick up some of your favorite berries. I went with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries to stay within the 4th of July color scheme.

Homemade Syrup:
In a small sauce pan combine honey (I used agave), water, and basil.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes uncovered.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Strain syrup to remove basil, then set aside.

Once the syrup has cooled, separate the berries into bowls and pour 1 tablespoon of syrup per every 1 cup of berries. Toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cheese Layer:

Put a small mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons honey or agave. Set aside.

Remove chilled bowl from freezer and beat whipping cream to soft peaks. 

Gradually add whipping cream to cream cheese and mix until smooth. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Bake the Crust:
**Do not make crust until day-of the party**



First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Line a a baking pan with foil, and lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.

Press dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Try to eliminate any lines to make it one cohesive tart. (As you can see, I forgot this step!)

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the dough is a light golden color. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.




Assemble the Tart!
After the berries have refrigerated for 2 hours and the crust has baked and cooled, you can assemble your berry tart!

Cover the tart with a generous amount of cream cheese mixture. Lightly mark the cheese layer with the tip of a knife to map out your berry squares. (Do not actually cut through the crust).

Next, fill in the squares with your syrup berries, keeping each type of berry in it's own square. Top with additional syrup if desired.

Serve immediately! Grab a fork and dig in, family style!

One great bonus of this recipe is that you have a good amount of leftover syrup and fruit dip. The fruit dip is honestly amazing after it refrigerates overnight. It makes for a great snack or post-dinner dessert!

And what better way to use up that extra homemade syrup than surprising your hubby with some pancakes the next morning?!

What will you be making this 4th of July?!

Thank you all for your comments and encouraging words!! 

Your support means the world to me, I love hearing from you!!