hat's
your favorite berry? Mine's raspberries. I always thought Waverley Root
described them perfectly, "rich, exotic, spice-laden and with a hint of
musk". At the beginning of the berry season I always eat raspberries
as the English do,
raw with just a sprinkling of sugar and heavy cream. But after I get my
fill I like to bake with them and this is one tart I always turn to. It is delightful, made
solely of ruby red raspberries sitting in
concentric circles on top of a crisp and buttery pastry. Nothing else is
needed to complete this delicious tart, save a little sugar.
When baking with any fruit it is important to use the best you can buy.
Raspberries are no exception so look for ones that have a deep red color,
are plump and juicy without the cores attached. If the core is still attached the raspberries were picked too
early and the berries will be sour. And be sure to avoid berries that are soft and mushy or have
any bruises, black spots or mold. You need to check the underside of the container
and pass by those that have squashed berries or red stains. If
possible, use raspberries that are of uniform size to make this tart look
its best. Once the tart has been assembled a hot oven is needed to
brown the crust quickly and allow the raspberries to release only a little of
their juices (they should still keep their shape). Try to serve it
shortly after baking, when the pastry is still wonderfully crisp and the
raspberries are still warm and fragrant with their perfume. And as always,
it is nice with heavy cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can
be covered and placed in the refrigerator.
Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process
until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse
meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream
through the feed tube until the pastry just holds together when pinched. Add
remaining water, if necessary. Do not process more than about 30 seconds.
Turn the pastry out onto your
work surface, gather it into a ball,
cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour to
chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax.
Once the pastry has
chilled, remove from refrigerator and place on a lightly
floured surface. Roll the pastry into an 11 inch (28 cm) round.
To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform
thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll
(always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).
Transfer the pastry to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and sprinkle the
pastry with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Leaving about a 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) border all
around, cover the pastry with the raspberries, stem ends down. I like to start
at the outside edge and work toward the center of the pastry in concentric
circles, making sure the raspberries are placed close together. (If possible,
use raspberries that are of uniform size.) Gently fold the edges of the pastry
up and over the filling, pleating as necessary, being careful not to squash the
raspberries. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the raspberries.
Bake the tart in a preheated
450 degree F (205 degree C) oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastry
is golden brown and the raspberries have given off just a little of their juice.
(You want the raspberries to hold their shape and not be mushy.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Dust with
powdered sugar. Serve plain or with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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