RASPBERRY BLUEBERRY CREAM TART

Hallelujah!

I had a great day today.

I didn’t touch the garden, pull weeds or anything close to it.

Well . . . I take that back.  I did pick some fresh Raspberries to top this delicious tart.

If you’d like to see my garden, go to Get Off Your Butt and WRITE!

see . . . 

You better get a bit closer .

I adapted this recipe from The Barefoot Contessa.  I don’t think she has ever steered us wrong.  I have so many Raspberries hanging on the vine, that I just knew I could use a few to top this yummy tart.  The Blueberries add a nice contrast, that makes me wish it was the 4th of July. The Pastry Cream is so fantastic, that it almost didn’t make it to the Crust!  This tart isn’t difficult, just a bit time consuming.  Last Evening, my husband and I picked at least 10 gallons of fresh Raspberries and gave most of them away.  My Freezer is jam packed and they will be nice throughout our long winters. 

Come on . . . Put on your apron and run into the kitchen.  We can make another together.

1. Start by measuring the flour, sugar, salt and place in a small bowl.  Place in the Freezer for 30 minutes.

2.  Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.  Add the butter, shortening and pulse about 10 times.  You want the butter in the size of peas.

3.  Add the ice water and process just until the dough comes together.  Don’t over work it! 

*You can also use a pastry blender in a bowl . . . if you don’t have a food processor.

1.  Place the pastry on a well floured board or silpat sheet and form into a disk. 

2.  Wrap in plastic wrap and seal well.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.  (Cold pastry makes for flaky Pastry) 

3.  Remove from the fridge, and begin to roll out your pastry dough.  Roll it 1/2″ larger than the size of your tart pan. 

*I used a 9 1/2″ Tart Pan.  You can also use 4 – 4 1/2″ individual tart pans instead if you like.

Roll the pastry dough carefully around the rolling pin.

Now . . . Carefully lift that rolling pin over the top of your tart pan and un-roll.

Be careful not to stretch the dough when placing it in the pans or it will skrink during baking.

Carefully press the pastry into the sides and bottom of the tart pan.

Tarts are easy . . . Simply roll your rolling pin over the top edges of the pan.

The excess dough will fall away.

Roll over it one more time, to make clean edges.

1.  Line the tart shells with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down.

2.  Fill with rice or beans.  This will help to prevent shrinkage and puffiness in your pastry shell.

3.  Don’t waste your scraps of pastry.  Simply lay them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with lots of cinnamon & sugar.  Bake with your tart pastry until golden.

4.  Bake your tart pastry in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes . . . then take from oven and remove the foil with rice or beans.

After baking for 10 minutes . . . remove shell from the oven and prick several times with a fork.

Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

like this . . . just let it cool now, while you make the Pastry Cream.

Pastry Cream:

Begin by bringing 1 1/2 cups of milk to scalding.

Over medium heat . . . heat your milk just under a boil . . . but don’t let it boil.

Turn the heat off, and let it cool down slightly while you prepare the egg/sugar mixture.

1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar on med-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very very thick.

2.  Reduce the mixer to low speed, and add the cornstarch.

With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.

Do this very slowly, so that you don’t cook your eggs!

Once you mixed it together so that it is very smooth, return it back into your saucepan.

1.  Pour the above mixture back into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. (Don’t be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously.  Cook, whisking constantly, for another 3 minutes.  The Custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding.)

2.  Stir in the vanilla, butter, and the heavy cream. 

3.  Pour the custard through a sieve into a bowl.  Place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cold.

*This next part is optionl:  I like to Whip 1 cup of heavy cream until it’s whipped firm.  I also add 3 Tablespoons of Powdered Sugar to the Whipped Cream.

Carefully fold the Whipped Cream into the Pastry Cream if desired . . . or leave Pastry Cream as is.

1.  Before serving, fill the tart shells or large tart shell with the pastry cream.

2.  Arrange the berries of choice decoratively on top of the pastry cream.

Melt the apricot jelly with 1 teaspoon water and brush the top of the berries very gently. 

After glazing, refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Eat and enjoy each and every bite!

You can run tomorrow!

RASPBERRY BLUEBERRY TART 

You will need:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar