Cream Cheese and Nectarine Tart

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Enjoy the wonderful flavor of summer stone fruit in this cream cheese tart with nectarines.

It’s that time of year again – stone fruit season. I love it and hate it all at one time.

I love the sweet juiciness of the fruit, particularly nectarines. Years ago when we owned two acres and a fruit orchard, my toddler son and I would go pick breakfast from the trees in the summertime. It was utterly amazing to chop up a fresh from the tree peach into yogurt and granola. Yum!

I don’t love how quickly they go bad. I swear unripe fruit turns to fuzzy ick virtually overnight. No fun!

I know. Make jam! Make pie! Freeze the fruit. Not for me, I tell ya. In my experience, nectarines and peaches get a weird flavor and texture when cooked, one that I just don’t care for. Believe me; I have tried.

I have found lots of yummy uses for fresh peaches and nectarines.

I love pie. Love pie. LOVE pie. But, I really don’t like those little slugs of peaches or nectarines in a peach pie. Instead I make this tart. The fruit stays uncooked but is served on an elegant bed of cream cheese filling atop a graham cracker crust.

This is the perfect dessert for summer. Bake the crust in the cool of night or in the morning. Add the filling. Top with fresh fruit right before serving. Delicious!

If you don’t like peaches or nectarines, feel free to use berries, plums, or apricots instead. I imagine that it would be great with a cooked cherry topping, but I haven’t tried that. If you do, let me know! Or invite me over.

This recipe is one of my faves to lean on when we’ve got lots of summer fruit on hand. Ahem. Like now. I’ve got all the fixings in the fridge as we speak. Amen. Hallelujah!

It’s also part of my newest recipe collection Good Cheap Eats: Everyday Dinners and Fabulous Feasts for $10 or Less. Be sure to pre-order your copy of the book as most of the recipes will not available online. Consider this a sneak peek.

Recipe: Cream Cheese and Nectarine Tart

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (1/3 cup) butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 or 4 nectarines or peaches

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a medium-size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Pat this crumb mixture into an 8-inch pie or tart pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
In a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese, heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon zest. Spoon this mixture into the prepared crust, cover, and chill for several hours, until firm.
Thinly slice the nectarines. Top the cream filling with the sliced nectarines. Serve immediately.
MAKE IT AHEAD: Prepare the tart through step 3 and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, proceed with step 4.

Preparation time: 25 minute(s)

Cooking time: 8 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

About Jessica Fisher

I believe great meals don't have to be complicated or expensive. There's a better way, and it won't take all afternoon.

Comments

Kristi says:
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I must try this recipe. We have a market close by that has had such yummy peaches recently. (We live in the top peach producing state!) I hear you on the cooked peaches, but I do have a blueberry/ peach pie recipe that is amazing. Also, my daughter loves homemade peach ice cream. It’s a special treat I sometimes make for her July birthday.
- Jessica Fisher says:
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  I could handle peach ice cream. That’s not cooked, right? Recipe?
  - Kristi says:
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    It took me a few days to figure out which recipe I have used. I did not make any last summer, so it’s been a while. I use a recipe from my old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It is almost like your homemade vanilla ice cream recipe. (Discovered tonight that I have your recipe bookmarked–why didn’t I look there?!) The difference is that my recipe uses light cream and heavy whipping cream instead of milk and cream. To make peach ice cream add about 2 cups of peeled, pureed peaches to the mix. I did not puree mine. They were very ripe, so I just mashed them with my potato masher a little bit. The ice cream was a hit with the birthday cake today!
    - Jessica Fisher says:
      at
      That sounds great. Maybe that’s how I’ll use up the last of the apricots we have.

Cream Cheese and Nectarine Tart