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Tropical Getaway Citrus Cream Tarts

By Rachael Rizzo

Every bite of food is an adventure. People wonder why I love to bake so much Chances are if it is my day off they know I am in the kitchen baking up a new concoction. I suppose part of it is that I love to create. But what they don’t know is that every time I am baking, I’m baking an adventure. I barely ever make the same dessert twice (unless by request, of course). The reason is that making a new dessert is like traveling to a place where you have never gone before, in fact it is like a whole different time. What people don’t realize is that when I take a bite of whatever dessert I have made I am on a whole different plane. A lot of times when I eat baked goods it reminds me of a place I’ve been to before, but every once and awhile I get that special dessert that makes me think of exciting lands and new adventures. Another words, I am taken to that spot where everything is happiness and gratefulness.

I made these tarts one day when that white sunshine was shining over the meadow and into the house (it is a rarity in our rainy Oregon weather). It made me feel like making something light and rich. When I saw this recipe I knew it was exactly what I wanted. Once I bit into it, it took me away to a tropical island, a place where you eat fruit all day long with your feet dangling in the Ocean. It’s a great big clear blue ocean, where you can see the fish swimming on the bottom of it. I suppose I could be in Hawaii, or something that closely resembles it. I can hear the sounds of tropical music in the background. It is a place where people are around, but they know you are there just to be and they respect that. This land is one of gratefulness and love. I can even hear the palm trees rustling in the wind….then….then…my fork hits plate. The tropical tart is gone and I don’t have my freeloader fork with me, so everyone else’s tart is out of bounds. Oh well, I still have that feeling with me, the calmness and gratefulness. I will keep it with me always…or until the next dessert.

If you would love another happy thought, just bite down on one of these great tarts and let them take you away to your own topical island. Plus, the recipe is made so you can share with your friends and family as well.

Here’s the Recipe:

Tropical Citrus Cream Tarts*

Ingredients:

1 and ½ cups toasted and chopped macadamia nuts
3 tbs all-purpose flour
3 tbs whole wheat flour
6 tbs cold butter
18 oz softened cream cheese
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
4 tbs sugar
5 tbs Splenda
6 tsp orange juice
3 tsp grated orange
6 tsp lemon juice
6 tsp lime juice
3 tsp grated lemon
3 tsp grated lime
6 slices lemon
6 slices lime
6 slices orange
6 toasted macadamia nuts.

1) In a blender chop the nuts, flours, sugar, and Splenda until they resemble crumbs. Put the butter in there and blend until mixed well.

2) Press onto the bottoms and up the sides of 6 greased (butter cooking spray), 4 in tart pans (the ones with removable bottoms are preferable). Bake at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes (they should be golden brown. Cool.

3) In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Then proceed to put in the confectioners’ sugar, fruit juices, and peels. Beat until blended. Spoon into crusts. Refrigerate for about one hour.

4) Garnish each tart with one orange slice, one lime slice, one lemon slice, and one macadamia nut, before serving.

5) Enjoy your trip!

*Base recipe from “Taste of Home,” then I molded the recipe to my liking from there.

Rachael Rizzo has been acting since she was nine years old. She uses her experience to write about what the things she loves mean to her (mostly movies and baking). She is twenty-three years old and resides in beautiful Oregon.

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