![\"Maria](\"https:\/\/improvisedlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Fruit-Tarts-big-724x790.jpg\")
Recipe: Improvisational Freeform Fruit Tart<\/strong><\/p>\n This \u201cmaster recipe\u201d gives the essentials you need to know to improvise with just about any fresh fruit. You can combine two or three fruits and\/or add additional flavorings such as\u00a0vanilla; ground spices like\u00a0cinnamon or clove, or a few scrapings nutmeg; a drizzle of eau de vie like\u00a0as framboise, poire William or kirsch; fresh thyme or rosemary or lavender flowers\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n 6 servings<\/p>\n 1\/2 pound Flaky Butter Pastry \u00a0(see recipe below) or your favorite flaky pastry dough Fruit Filling:<\/span>\u00a0 Optional flavorings<\/span>,\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>such as:<\/em> <\/p>\n Preheat the oven to 400\u2032. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough circle about 14-to-15-inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and refrigerate it while you prepare the fruit.<\/p>\n In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sugar with 2 tablespoons flour (2 \u00bd tablespoons for very juicy fruit, such as berries, rhubarb, and cherries); reserve.<\/p>\n For the filling: place the fruit in a bowl and toss it with sugar, lemon juice and any flavorings you like. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and sprinkle the reserved flour-sugar mixture evenly over it, leaving a 2-inch border uncovered. Arrange the fruit evenly over the flour-sugar mixture. Gently fold the rim of dough over the fruit, creating overlapping creases as you go. Moisten your fingers lightly with water and gently press the creases together so that they hold their shape. Shave the butter over the fruit.<\/p>\n Bake the tart until the crust is golden brown, the fruit is tender and the juices syrupy, about 40 minutes, covering the tart half way through if the crust is browning too rapidly. Let cool 10 minutes before sliding the tart onto a serving platter.<\/p>\n Just before serving, strain the confectioners\u2019 sugar evenly over the crust.<\/p>\n You can also roll the dough into smaller rounds to make tartlets…<\/p>\n recipe: Flaky Butter Pastry<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a great dough for people who are intimidated by pie crust. It is virtually foolproof, easy-to-make and handle, yielding a buttery pastry that is tender yet sturdy enough to accommodate the abundant fruit.<\/p>\n The recipe can be doubled or tripled and can be frozen well wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 1 month. To defrost, thaw in the refrigerator several hours before using.<\/p>\n Makes\u00a0 8 ounces dough, enough for one tart<\/p>\n 1 cup all-purpose flour<\/em> In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or use a pinching motion with your fingers until it makes a very coarse meal. (If you have time, chill this mixture in the refrigerator 15 minutes). Add the sour cream and blend with a fork to combine, then, using\u00a0 your hands, squeeze the dough 7 or 8 times to incorporate. To make the dough in a food processor, process the dry ingredients to combine. Add the butter and process to a coarse meal; chill if time. Then add the sour cream and process until the mixture looks like sand.<\/p>\n Flatten the dough into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1\/2 hour before rolling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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\n2 to 2 1\/2 tablespoons flour for thickening the juices, plus extra for rolling the dough
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\n1 tablespoon sugar<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>3 cups ripe fruit (peeled, pitted, and cut into \u00bc-inch thick slices as appropriate) such as pears, plums, peaches, apricots, bananas, berries, cherries or rhubarb, in any combination
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\n1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons for apples)
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\n\u00bc to 1\/2 cup sugar (depending on the sweetness of the fruit)<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>\u00a01\/2 vanilla bean split, seeds scraped out and mixed with the sugar;
\n<\/em>\u00a01 to 2 teaspoons\u00a0pure vanilla extract
\n\u00bd to 3\/4 teaspoon ground spices such as cinnamon or clove, or a few scrapings nutmeg
\n1 to 2 teaspoons eau de vie such as framboise, poire William or kirsch
\n1 to 1 1\/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or rosemary and\/or a pinch of lavender flowers\u2026
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\n2 to 3 teaspoons unsalted butter
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\n2 teaspoons confectioner\u2019s sugar (optional)<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Maria](\"https:\/\/improvisedlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/fruit-tarts-little-ones-662x790.jpg\")
\n1 teaspoon sugar<\/em>
\n1\/4\u00a0 teaspoon salt<\/em>
\n1\/4 teaspoon baking powder<\/em>
\n4 1\/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1\/2\u2033 bits<\/em>
\n3 tablespoons sour cream<\/em><\/p>\n