Summer Berries & Mascarpone Tartlets

Summer is my favorite season (isn't it everyone's??).  Aside from the sunny days and warm nights, there's an abundance of beautiful produce available.  In my case, it's impossible not to come home with an overflowing basket full of fruits and veggies after a visit to my mother's plentiful garden.  My absolute favorite are the strawberries.  Tiny, sweet, juicy, fragrant little jewels.  And what better way to celebrate them than in a cute little tartlet filled with mascarpone cheese? 

Lemon Creme Meringue Tart

Lemon tart is possibly one of my favorite things to eat...and if that lemon tart is built on a bed of buttery, shortbread-like crust, filled with Monsieur Hermé's dreamy, mousse-like lemon cream, then topped with a cloud of marshmallow-like meringue with toasted tips?  Then it is definitely my favorite thing to eat, no matter what time of day.

Chocolate tartlets with sea salt

I've never understood why people like their watermelons with salt. To be honest, I thought it was strange and absurd. They were either trying too hard to be creative or just plain weird. Nor have I ever been tempted in the slightest to try it myself. I like my watermelons just the way nature intended, thank you very much.

My "ah ha!" moment came a few years ago, when I tasted a piece of dark chocolate flaked with sea salt. Wow. The salty taste was not very pronounced, but it plays this trick on the tastebuds and heightens the chocolate. The chocolate taste more...chocolatey! I suppose the key is the tiny amount of salt used, I mean MINUSCULE. Just enough to enhance the chocolate quotient but not so much that it tastes salty.

This is a chocolate tart that I make often, though always with different toppings. I thought salt and pistachios might be a delightful addition this time. I happen to have some Hawaiian red sea salt on hand and thought it would make a nice color contrast to the bright green pistachio, but any sea salt would work. I'm sure fleur de sel would be phenomenal with the chocolate too! I've also made this tart topped with fresh raspberries, then lightly dusted them with powdered sugar just before serving. On lazier days, I've served it with nothing other then a dollop of whipped cream. It turned out simple, elegant and just as nice!

The recipe for the crust will make more than needed, so the dough can be frozen for another use.  Leftover dough can also be rolled into logs and chilled, then slice into 1/2-inch thickness cookies and baked for a delicious chocolate sable cookie.  Be very gentle with the this baked dough though, it's very delicate and will break easily!