Eat Well, Live Happy: Red, White, and Blueberry Cheesecake Tart

I recently bought a tart pan that I've been wanting to use, and I also owed my sister a cheesecake, so I searched online and found a few cheesecake tart recipes so I could do both at once. She didn't want berries on the cheesecake, so I simplified the topping of one recipe I found and just used canned cherries instead. I am curious how the topping of this cheesecake would taste since I've never baked with plums before. It looks and sounds pretty good and I hope to give the topping a try another time. This cheesecake was very easy to make - the dry ingredients for the crust can be mixed in a small food processor. After mixing that with melted butter it is very easy to spread in the bottom and around the sides of the tart pan (especially by using a flat-bottomed glass to spread it evenly). While that freezes, you can make the cheesecake filling, which is also very simple. The cheesecake baked perfectly in 35 minutes. After it cooled I added the canned cherry filling and refrigerated it for a few hours until after dinner time. Simple and delicious!

I've never made a cheesecake in anything other than a springform pan before, but this tart pan worked perfectly. I can't wait to try more recipes using it!

Red, White and Blueberry Cheesecake Tart

Recipe courtesy Martha Stewart

This is the ideal grand finale for a Fourth of July dinner. The fresh plums might be yellow inside, but cooking them will bring out their crimson color. Take advantage of red plums at their prime: Double the ingredients used in the plum mixture, and spread the extra on toast, or spoon over vanilla ice cream. After cooling the mixture, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Crust:

6 graham crackers (2½ by 5 inches each)

1/3 cup whole almonds

¼ cup sugar

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream

½ cup sugar

1 large egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Topping:

4 red plums (1 to 1½ pounds total), halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch dice

½ cup sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 pint (2 cups) blueberries

Make crust: Preheat oven to 350˚. In a food processor, grind graham crackers, almonds, and ¼ cup sugar until finely ground; add butter, and process until moistened. Transfer to a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Using the base of a dry measuring cup, press mixture firmly into the bottom and up sides of pan. Freeze at least 15 minutes.

Make filling and bake: Carefully wipe processor blade and bowl clean. Place cream cheese, sour cream, ½ cup sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt in food processor; blend just until smooth. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; fill with cheesecake mixture. Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer tart pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make topping: In a medium saucepan, combine plums, ½ cup sugar, and lemon juice. Cook at a rapid simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is jamlike and moves around pan in a single mass when stirred, 15 to 25 minutes (time will depend on ripeness of fruit). Reserve 1 tablespoon cooking liquid (no solids) for blueberries; cool remaining plum mixture.

Assemble tart: Leaving a 1-inch border, spread cooled plum mixture over tart. Reheat reserved plum liquid (on stove or in microwave) until liquefied. In a medium bowl, combine with blueberries, and scatter on top of plum mixture. Chill until ready to serve, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Remove from pan before serving.