An Easy and Delicious Dessert

I don't always make desserts that take three days.  Sometimes I whip up something that takes less than three hours, tops.

I've been trying to use up everything in my fridge and freezer before the fall holidays get here.  I try to do this every year at this time with not a lot of success.  But this year I am determined.  I am only going to the grocery when I absolutely need to pick up something, like fresh milk.

I had both cream cheese and mascarpone cheese in the fridge.  I have a wonderful recipe for a cream cheese tart.  You only bake the shell, which does not even get rolled out, and then fill it.  Simple and delicious.  Here it is:

Italian Cream Cheese Tart

Sugar Cookie Crust:

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 400F.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light. Fold in flour, salt, milk and extract, until mixture is moist and crumbly (it should clump together if you press it between your fingers).

Pour dough into a 10-inch tart pan and press it up the sides, making sure the layer on the bottom is even.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until crust is golden. Cool.

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

8 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp almond extract

8 ounces fig preserves

1/2 cup sliced almonds (or more)

Combine cream cheese, mascarpone, honey and extract in bowl and beat with mixer until creamy.  Spread cheese mixture evenly over prepared shell and chill for at least one hour. Spread fig preserves over cheese layer and sprinkle evenly with sliced almonds.  Chill one hour. Remove tart from pan.  Slice and serve.

Hint:  Invite friends or you will eat the whole thing.