I should start off by confessing that I don't have much of a sweet tooth. Sure, I enjoy a tasty dessert from time to time, but I typically only want a few bites. Fatty/ salty foods are more my weakness. I'm pretty particular when it comes to sweets; I think it probably has something to do with the fact that I was largely deprived of sugar during my childhood.
So anyway, the Husband and I bought two of the small 5" tarts, Cherry (his pick) and Dutch Apple (mine).
And holy crap. Am I in love.
I would normally never choose a cherry dessert myself, and honestly, I wasn't even going to try it. They tend to be so absurdly sweet for my taste. This, however, was a perfect balance of sweet and tart. De-freaking-licious.
And the Dutch apple... ohh, the Dutch Apple was like a dream. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so; the apples were tender but with a tiny crunch to them and they were flavored with the perfect amount of cinnamon. Also, the crust on these tarts is moist and delightful with just a hint of sugar. When it comes to tarts or pies, the crust is something I'd normally skip altogether because it's usually very dry and bland.
So, these delicious treats are available in a variety of flavors at a handful of Farmers Markets and stores in NY, MA and CT, as well as on the Dutch Desserts website.
The only downside I could find is that the tarts are wrapped (and seemingly baked) inside a paper liner which is a bit of a pain to remove. Such anxious excitement, removing that wrapper like an adolescent boy unhooking a girl's bra for the first time.
And it's true that the tarts are not cheap. But remember, they're handmade locally. You can practically taste the love baked right in. These puppies are really something special. And dammit, you deserve to treat yourself. read more