You guys won't believe it. Our house if finally getting painted as we speak. There are 7 guys, all wearing hazmat suits, scraping off layers of lead paint. I would be lying if I said the lead paint wasn't terrifying me enormously, but as a precaution I have all of the windows and doors sealed shut, and surprise surprise, it's super hot in Seattle again, so our house is now an actual sauna. We have visitors in town for the next few days, and I'm like - welcome to our hot toxic house, would you like a drink?

At least I can stop stressing over paint colors now, which is such a relief, and after a long day of reflection yesterday, following a doctor's appointment, I decided that I am going to stop stressing over silly things, including this babies weight. I am going to stop stressing about every little thing imaginable and enjoy every single day with a positive outlook and a big smile. Because, seriously, I spend a lot of time stressing and life's too short. I think that things are pretty fantastic right now, and I'm having a baby, in 6 weeks, which is such a miracle in itself.

The produce is so delicious right now, I thought I would spoil our house guests with a little taste of West Coast summer. If they don't eat all this tart, I am going to have to bring it to a friend's house and hope that it get's devoured then because if I keep it in our fridge, it's just too good to resist. The tart crust is a simple one of butter, flour, and sugar. The bottom of the tart is lined with a thick layer of velvety lemon curd and then topped with the sweetest, freshest berries around. I served it with a generous dollop of whipped cream, which in my opinion, is the perfect final touch. Hooray for summer produce!!

A big thanks to Darigold for sponsoring this post. Darigold is my absolute favorite Northwest producers of milk, butter, sour cream, and cottage cheese, not only because their products are high quality and delicious, but also because they are a farmer-owned organization, representing over 500 family farms across the Northwest. The farmers not only care about producing a high-quality product, but they also care about their cows and what's best for them. If you haven't seen it, Darigold offers a magazine called Fresh where this recipe was taken from. Check them out for more delicious recipes!

recipe

FRESH BERRY TART WITH LEMON CURD

recipe from Darigold Fresh Magazine Vol 1

makes one 9" tart

prep time: 20 minutes

cooking time: 40 minutes

pastry ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) Darigold butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp water

1 egg, beaten

lemon curd ingredients:

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup granulated sugar

juice from 3 lemons

grated zest from 1 lemon

1/2 cup (1 stick) Darigold butter, chopped in tbsp

3 cups fresh fruit, chopped

2 cups whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook attachment, stir on medium speed, slowly adding the dry ingredients. Add water and continue to stir until dough forms.

Gather the dough and place into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom. With your fingers, press the dough into the tart pan, making sure to push the crust into the indentations in the sides.

Cover the tart with parchment paper and baking beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and parchment from the tart shell and brush with the egg wash. Bake the tart shell for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool. 

In a double boiler on a low simmer, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and peel with a whisk.

Cook the lemon curd, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until it begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 15 minutes. Stir in the butter one tablespoon at a time. Once the butter has been added and has melted into the curd, remove it from the stove and strain through a wire sieve to remove any lumps. Place the curd into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is touching the lemon curd. This will prevent a skin from forming. Place it in the fridge to cool, or until ready to use. 

Once cool, fill the tart shell with the lemon curd and then top with fresh fruit. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.