Fresh Raspberry Tart

Make Shortbread Crust

1. Cream together the butter and sugar in a mixer until well combined. Add vanilla, and pinch of salt, then mix again.
2. Add the flour in 1/2 cup increments until the dough comes together.
3. Then, press the dough into bottom and up a little bit of sides of a 13x9 inch baking dish or 9- inch tart pan.
4. Prick all over crust with a fork then place in freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake crust for 17-18 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Make Raspberry Sauce

1. Using a food processor or blender and puree the berries.
2. Then use a fine mesh sieve over a medium saucepan and press the berry puree through with a spoon, straining away seeds. Discard seeds. Add lemon juice and sugar and stir to combine.
3. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer 10-15 minutes, removing any foam with a spoon and stirring frequently. When color is bright and sauce reduced by half, remove from heat and let cool.

Make Filling

1. Cream together butter and cream cheese in a mixer or using beaters until smooth. Add vanilla and mix until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency and sweetness of filling.
3. Smooth 2/3 of filling mixture to bottom of cooled crust and set the remaining extra filling to the side.
4. Then spread cooled raspberry sauce over top of filling layer and smooth.
5. Place raspberries, some whole and some halved, in a half-moon shape on the tart. Place extra filling in two plastic bags or piping bags, fitted with a tiny tip and a large tip (or large and small holes cut in the bags), and pipe random dots to fill in spaces. Then garnish it with lemon zest and a few tiny mint leaves.
6. Chill for 2 hours and keep in fridge until serving.