Like the traditional French tarte tatin, this spring pastry has caramelized fruit cooked on the stove. It then is topped with a pastry, baked and flipped out of the pan.

The typical tarte tatin is made with apples, but our spring version opts for strawberries and dried apricots.

We’ve included easy instructions on how to make a delicious, all-butter blitz pastry. If you don’t have the time, you can use purchased puff pastry, but the homemade version is definitely the star of this dessert.

———

STRAWBERRY APRICOT TARTE TATIN

Start to finish: 2 1/2 hours (1/2 hour active)

Servings: 8

For the pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup ice water

For the topping:

Two 16-ounce containers fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Pinch of salt

1 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

7-ounce bag dried apricots

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

To make the pastry, in a food processor combine both flours, the butter and the salt. Pulse until the butter is just distributed through the flour. It should remain in large pieces. Add the water and pulse again, just until distributed. Pulse 2 more times. The dough should still be crumbly and dry.

Pour the dough onto the counter. Press into a 8-by-12-inch rectangle. It’s okay for it to be crumbly, just squeeze it together. Fold the dough in half, then use a rolling pin to roll it back to an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in half again and place on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

While the pastry rests, in a medium bowl toss together the strawberries, lemon juice, salt and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Once the pastry has rested, roll it out once again to an 8-by-12-inch rectangle. Repeat the folding and rolling process one more time, but this time roll it to a 10-inch round. Place the dough in the freezer (on a baking sheet if necessary) until the fruit is ready.

Heat the oven to 400 F.

In a 9-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, melt the 1/4 cup of butter. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cook until it turns golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the apricots, strawberries and any juices from the bowl to the pan and continue cooking until the fruit is soft and begins to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes. This should be done at a medium-high to high heat so that the fruit caramelizes before it gets too soft.

In a small glass, stir together the cornstarch and water. Add to the skillet and stir gently to mix. Bring to a boil, then remove the skillet from the heat.

Place the pastry over the fruit, fitting it down tightly into the pan. Use a paring knife to cut several slits in the top center of the pastry. Bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and let sit for another 30 minutes to allow the filling to set up.

Run a knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen the pastry. Place a large serving plate or round platter over the pan and carefully but quickly overturn the pan so the plate is on the bottom. Lift the pan off the serving plate to reveal the tart. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 570 calories; 260 calories from fat (46 percent of total calories); 30 g fat (18 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 75 mg cholesterol; 76 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 5 g fiber; 70 mg sodium.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
4 eight ounce pkgs cream cheese
6 oz sour cream
1 cube (½ cup) butter
5 eggs
2 T cornstarch
 ¼ C sugar
1¼ tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
Let cream cheese, sour cream, butter and eggs, stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  Preheat over to 375°. Blend cream cheese, butter sour cream together.  Add cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.  Blend.  Add eggs, one at a time and beat well each time. Pour into 9 to 9-1/2″ greased spring form pan. Place in larger roasting pan filled with enough warm water to come halfway up the side of the spring form pan. Bake 1 hour or until top is golden brown.  Turn off oven.  Let cake sit in oven 1 hour with door open. Remove from oven and let sit 2 hours.  Cover and refrigerate for at least six hours before serving.  Makes a nice presentation if you top with cherry pie filling and let some of the “juice” run down the side. If you prefer a cheesecake with a crumb bottom, use 1 Cup flour, mix in 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional) and 6 Tbsps butter.  Press onto the bottom of the springform pan, Bake 325° degrees for 12-15 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
3 medium firm bananas, sliced
1 prepared angel food cake (16 oz cut into 1” cubes)
1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
1 sm pkg strawberry geletin
2 C boiling water
1 1/2 C cold water
8 oz whipped topping, thawed
Layer banana slickes and cake cubes in 13×9 dish coated with nonstick cookin spray. Place strawberries over cake and press down gently. In a bowl, dissovle gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water. Pour over strawberries. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Frost with whipped topping.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
1 pie crust
1 can cherry pie filling
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
Whipped topping
Follow directions for pudding. Pour into pie crust, top with pie filling. Cover with whipped topping.

Ingredients

• 6 cups peeled, sliced Gala apples (about 3 large)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping

• 6 tablespoons Pillsbury Best® All Purpose Flour
• 3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Jif Omega-3 Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Smucker’s® Sundae Syrup™ Caramel Flavored Syrup (optional) or Smucker’s Sugar Free Sundae Syrup Caramel Flavored Syrup

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Stir apples, cranberries, 1/4 cup brown sugar and cinnamon until coated. Spoon evenly in 9 x 9-inch baking pan.
2. Mix flour, wheat germ and 1/4 cup brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in peanut butter with fork until crumbs form. Stir in walnuts. Crumble over apples.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until apples are fork tender and top is golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Drizzle with caramel flavored syrup, if desired. Serve warm.

Serves
Servings 9

Preparation Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
40 minutes

SOURCE:
Jif

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
5½ C confectioners’ sugar
1 2/3 C peanut butter
1 C butter, melted
4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening
in a bowl, combine the sugar, peanut butter and butter; mix well. Shape into 1” balls, set aside. In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth, Dip balls into chocolate; place on wire rack over waxed paper. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until firm. Cover and store in the refigrerator.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
1 box Twinkies®  (10 count)
8 oz pkg cream cheexe, softened
1 C confectioners’ sugar
8 oz whipped topping, thawed & divided
2-3.4 oz pkgs instant vanilla pudding
15 oz can pumpkin
1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 C milk
Slice Twinkie® s in half lengthwise and place cream side up in single layer in 9×13 baking dish. Using a mixer, blend together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and half of whipped topping until smooth. Spread evently over Twinkies.
Combine pudding mix, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin and milk. Whisk until well blended and layer over cream cheese mixtures. Carefully spread remaining whipped topping over pumpkin. Lightly sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Refrigerate several hours or until set.

2011 Holiday Recipe Guide
½ C margarine, softened
1½ C sugar
2 eggs
1 C sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp soda
2 ripe bananas
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into greased 9×9 pan. Bake at 350°, 20-25 minutes.

There is the classic feta cheese, tomato and watermelon salad. There are various riffs on lemonade spiked with pureed watermelon. And, of course, there are innumerable variations on traditional fruit salad. But we wanted something more unique, more interesting.

Which, oddly, took us back to tradition. In some parts of the country, pickled watermelon rind is a staple. But in most of the U.S., the rind is just nature’s way of adding a handle. So we started there. Then we moved on to the sweet, juicy flesh, transforming it into a pudding fit for a tart.

Finally, we blended orange and elderflower liqueur with vanilla to create a delicious syrup for marinating strawberries and watermelon.

———

SWEET WATERMELON

RIND RELISH

This recipe calls for watermelon rind with the thin outer dark green skin removed. The easiest way to do that is to use a paring knife to cut away the red flesh, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

Start to finish: 1 hour

Makes 3 cups

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon whole allspice

4 cups watermelon rind, green skin removed, cut into 1/4-inch chunks

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cinnamon sticks

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks

On a 6-inch square of cheesecloth, combine the cloves and allspice. Tie the cloth into a bundle.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the watermelon rind, sugar, vinegar, salt, cinnamon sticks, ginger and spice bundle. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, or until the watermelon rind is tender. Allow the watermelon to fully cool in the liquid. Remove and discard the spice bundle, cinnamon sticks and ginger. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Nutrition information per 2-tablespoon serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 35 calories; 0 calories from fat (0 percent of total calories); 0 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 80 mg sodium.

———

WATERMELON

PUDDING TART

Start to finish: 20 minutes, plus cooling

Servings: 8

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoons butter, melted

2 1/2 cups watermelon flesh

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 eggs

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

Whipped cream

Heat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the butter, stirring until well mixed. Press the mixture into the prepared tart pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

Meanwhile, in a blender puree the watermelon until completely smooth. You should have 2 cups of juice. Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice. Over medium-high heat, bring the juice to a simmer.

In a medium, heat-safe bowl, whisk together the eggs, cornstarch and sugar until smooth. In a slow and steady stream, pour the hot juice into the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Pour the mixture back into the pan and continue to cook, whisking until thickened. Pour the watermelon pudding into the baked tart crust.

Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until cold. Serve with whipped cream.

Nutrition information per serving without whipped cream (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 180 calories; 90 calories from fat (46 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 75 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 1 g fiber; 100 mg sodium

———

MARINATED WATERMELON AND STRAWBERRIES

Start to finish: 2 hours 30 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 vanilla bean

1/4 cup elderflower liqueur

2 tablespoons orange liqueur

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

2 cups cubed watermelon flesh

In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Use a paring knife to split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pan, then add the pod. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and cool fully. Remove the vanilla pod. Stir in the elderflower liqueur and orange liqueur.

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries and watermelon, then pour the syrup over them. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve in glasses.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 170 calories; 0 calories from fat (0 percent of total calories); 0 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 0 mg sodium.

By ALISON LADMAN

For The Associated Press