Now that it feels like Spring (finally!), our social “dance cards” are filling up quickly.

This luscious tart is the perfect, show-stopping dessert to bring to your next occasion. Simple to put together and elegant in presentation, this is definitely a dessert you’re going to want to add to your repertoire.

Plus, get ready to head over to the farmer’s market once it starts filling with local, delicious raspberries.

Fresh Raspberry Tart with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

This recipe comes from the cookbook, Date Night In, by Ashley Rodriguez. You may prep the crust the day before, cover and store in the refrigerator. Then make the filling and assemble the day of.

Yield: One 9-inch tart

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• 2 pints raspberries

For the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Place a 9-inch tart pan on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the salt, cinnamon, and flour and stir until just combined. The dough will be soft.
3. Press the dough onto the sides and bottom of the tart pan and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Let cool at room temperature on a wire rack.

For the filling:

1. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and mix with an electric mixer on low speed, about 5 minutes.
2. To assemble, fill the cooled tart with the cream cheese filling, spreading evenly. Top with fresh raspberries and refrigerate. To serve, remove the tart from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan on serving.

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Kristina Beese is the co-owner of The Beese Knees, a gourmet ice cream cake company in Philadelphia. With a B.S. in Photography, she styles and photographs all her confections using both digital and 35mm film. Kristina believes cooking is a labor of love and wants to inspire others to find joy in their kitchens. View all posts by Kristina Beese