Rhea's Fruit Tart

Crust:
Mix 1 1/2 cups flour with 1/4 cup sugar in a large, warm bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Knead with hand. Press dough into a 10 inch tart pan. Brush bottom of pastry with a lightly beaten egg white. (I sometimes omit this.) Bake on center rack in 375 oven 18-20 minutes. (watch carefully to avoid burning... sometimes 15 min. is enough) Cool completely before removing rim.

Note: If you use a 9 inch quiche pan, a double recipe will make 3 tarts.

Filling:
1 (3 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together. Whip cream and fold in carefully to cheese mixture. Spread evenly into baked tart shell.

Topping:
Arrange fruits on filling and brush fruits with melted orange marmalade or apple jelly.

Pattern:
A pattern I like has an outside row of halved strawberries, followed by a row (or ring) of halved green grapes. The next ring alternates mandarin oranges and banana slices sort of stacked. I slice Kiwi (3 slices) in the center. For this pattern you will need approximately 10 strawberries, 12 green grapes, 12 mandarin oranges (which is less than 1/2 can), less than 1 small banana and 1/2 Kiwi, along with 1/2 cup apple jelly. Try to have small strawberries.

In July, blueberries and raspberries leaving some white for a patriotic dessert is nice.