Goat Cheese Blackberry Tart

Serves 12 / Developed by James Rouse, ND, the contributor of monthly recipes that appear in our Update section, this healthy dessert was described as “outrageous” and “absolutely to die for” after it appeared in July 2004. The wheat-free, almond meal and date crust is a treat (look for almond meal in the baking section of your grocery store), and each slice is loaded with fiber and antioxidants—so don’t feel guilty when you indulge.

Crust
2 cups dates, pitted and chopped
(about 20 large dates)
1 cup almond meal
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Filling
12 ounces goat cheese, softened
4 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup sugar
11/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Purée
2 cups blackberries
6 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1-1/2 tablespoons cold water

3 cups blackberries, for topping

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly coat a 10-inch tart pan with removable sides with cooking spray. Combine dates and almond meal in a food processor and pulse 15–20 times. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in egg white with a fork until incorporated. Press mixture onto tart pan bottom. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.
2. For the filling, beat goat cheese and cottage cheese with an electric mixer until fairly smooth. Add sugar, lemon zest, and juice and beat until smooth. (For extra-smooth consistency, do this step in a blender.) Spread cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
3. For the purée, place 2 cups berries in a blender or food processor and purée. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook on medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Add sugar; reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook another 5 minutes. In a small bowl,
dissolve arrowroot powder in cold water. Gradually add arrowroot mixture to berry mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
4. Spread cooled purée over cheese filling. Cover tart and keep refrigerated until serving time. Just before serving, arrange fresh berries on top. Slide a sharp knife around the inside edge of the pan and remove pan sides.

PER SERVING: 314 cal, 30% fat cal, 11g fat, 5g sat fat, 13mg chol, 10g protein, 48g carb, 8g fiber, 135mg sodium