White Chocolate Holiday Tart

A tender shortbread pastry crust is spread with a white chocolate and cream cheese mixture, and topped with red and green grapes, glazed with brandied apricot preserves and a garnish of white chocolate curls.

Recipe Ingredients:

Creamy Nut Pastry Shell:
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package lowfat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup finely chopped white chocolate, melted
3 cups red and green California seedless grapes
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons brandy
White chocolate shavings or curls

Cooking Directions:

1. For Creamy Nut Pastry Shell: Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend in flour and almonds until mixture resembles cornmeal. Pat into bottom and sides of 9-inch tart pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (205°C) 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. For filling: Whip cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Add white chocolate and mix until blended.
4. Spread cream cheese-chocolate mixture in bottom of baked tart shell.
5. Arrange grapes on cream cheese mixture.
6. Heat preserves until melted; strain. Add brandy and mix well.
7. Glaze grapes with apricot-brandy mixture.
8. Decorate top with white chocolate shavings or curls.
9. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of recipe): 247 Cal., 3.8 g pro., 14 g fat (49% Cal. from fat), 27.5 g carb., 29 mg chol., 1 g fiber and 209 mg sodium.

Recipe provided courtesy of California Table Grape Commission.