There is nothing more mouthwatering than fresh berries on top of a creamy cheesecake filling, melted chocolate and a sugar cookie crust. The quintessential summer dessert!
A couple of weekends back I was in my hometown for a blogger event. While I was away mingling, eating and learning all-things-blog {always SO much to learn and keep up on}, my kids were playing with Grandma and Grandpa and munching on this tart.
My mom whipped it up the afternoon we arrived and I was snapping photos of it before she could get it into the fridge. And I had the first piece while they were busy with the kiddos that night.
The photographer needs to sample too right?
Now, I don't have a tart pan at home. But I want this one! Maybe for a birthday gift. Anyway, if I were making this at home I'd use a regular old 9x13 baking pan.
{So for all my college roommates reading this and rolling their eyes thinking 'here goes Ally, with her fancy pans'...chill out}
Now, I am going to get a bit pretentious and beg you to use fresh, just picked berries. Oh, strawberries that are from the farm, dipping with juiciness are just the absolute best. They laugh in the face of their supermarket cousins. Frozen berries will make it too watery.
So, get the fresh ones, mm-kay?
I will say these tart pans can be the devil. I was balancing it with one hand, holding my camera in the other and juggling a toddler with a death grip on my leg. Luckily I didn't drop my camera, step on the toddler or most importantly drop the tart.
Now, my mom spread melted chocolate chips on the crust...but now I'm thinking wouldn't Nutella be lovely on this crust?
I almost came THIS CLOSE to buying discounted jars of Nutella at an Amish discount grocery story yesterday. Does Nutella go bad? In my heart I was saying "no, of course not", but in my head I was saying "do I really need multiple jars of Nutella in my house for easy access?"
My head won.
Anyway, use whatever melted chocolate is your fave.
This dessert needs to stay in the fridge giving it that cold bite {and so it doesn't melt all over the place}, but keeping it in the fridge will help it last a few days.
I'm not sure if it will last that long, but go ahead and give it a try.
Chocolate Cheesecake Strawberry Tart
1 pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough {or homemade if preferred}
3 oz. milk chocolate chips
2 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3 T. heavy whipping cream
2 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
2 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 c. strawberry jam
1. Grease or spray a tart pan generously with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. With your fingers spread the cookie dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan.
3. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, allow to cool.
4. In a microwave safe bowl heat the chocolate chips in 15 second intervals, stirring after each heating, until smooth. Spread the chocolate over the cooled crust. Place in the fridge.
5. In a mixer combine the cream cheese, whipping cream and vanilla until smooth.
6. Sift the powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture. Once combined spread over the chocolate.
7. Arrange the sliced strawberries over the cream cheese mixture. Brush with the strawberry jam.
8. Place in the fridge for 2 hours prior to eating. Store in the fridge to keep fresh.
