Wednesday, March 20, 2002

Sweeten your spring with fruit

Spring, the season of renewal, growth and vitality is also one of the best times of year to enjoy fresh fruit. Fruits offer vibrant colors and flavor that are ideal for spring entertaining.

Whether you are decorating with fruit or preparing one of your favorite fruit dishes, follow these tried and true tips for selecting the freshest and ripest fruits.

Raspberries. Look for plump berries that are bright in color. Soft, watery fruit means that the berries are overripe, while shriveled fruit means they have been stored too long.

Blueberries. Choose firm, dry and smooth berries that are relatively free of stems and leaves. Their color should be indigo blue with a silver frost.

Bananas. Try to purchase bananas with hints of green at their ends. They will ripen perfectly at room temperature.

Mangos. Unblemished, yellow skin blushed with a red or pink hue indicates a fresh mango. Look for mangos that yield to gentle pressure, but are not too mushy.

Strawberries. Seek uniformly sized, deeply and evenly colored, plump strawberries with green, leafy stems.

Kiwi fruit. Juicy, ripe kiwis should give to gentle pressure and will feel heavy for their size.

A Spring Fruit Tart is a seasonal favorite and the perfect way to showcase fresh, colorful fruit. With only five ingredients, this recipe from Nestlé USA is an easy way to celebrate the sweetness of spring.

Spring Fruit Tart

(Makes 8 to 10 servings)

1 package (18 ounces) Nestlé Toll House Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Bar Dough

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fruit (raspberries or blueberries, sliced mango, kiwifruit, bananas or strawberries)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bottom and side of 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom*.

Press cookie dough evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 22 to 27 minutes or until lightly golden and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled cookie crust to within 1/2 inch of edge.

Arrange fruit as desired on top of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove rim of pan; slice into wedges.

* If tart pan is not available, press cookie dough onto greased pizza pan or baking sheet to measure an 8-inch circle. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until lightly golden.

For more refreshing fruit recipes, including Chocolate-Dipped Fruit, visit www.VeryBestBaking.com.

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