Friday 6 July 2012

Raspberry Tart


In our garden, we do not grow a lot of raspberries, yet they are one of our favourite soft fruits.  The fact is that we live right next to a raspberry farm and they are hand picked or machine picked (for jam) daily throughout the month of July.  It's such a treat to just go and buy some with no work!  They are wonderful in this tart!  I bake it in a 'pastry ring' on a baking sheet with the excess cut off after baking.  The "Crème Pâtissière" is piped in once the case has cooled down.  I make mine really unsweetened and if you adore sugar, you can double it but it's worth trying it if you have amazing raspberries as it adds to their perfume by not being overly sweetened. There is also sugar in the base to consider.  

Pastry
200g flour
110g soft unsalted butter
1 egg
60g icing sugar
35g toasted almonds

Rub in the butter with the flour, adding the sugar and almonds at the end.  Add the egg and bring together with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball.  Press into 'slab' and dust, wrap in cling film so it is ready to roll out after letting rest in the fridge for an hour.  Bake blind for 20 minutes at 175°C/350°F) and then remove what you use for weighing the pastry down and bake a further 15 (or so) minutes more.  Let case cool down before filling.

Pastry cream
450ml milk
4 yolks
65g sugar (or up to110g)
30g flour
25g corn starch
1 vanilla pod

Boil up the milk adding the vanilla pod and let the vanilla infuse.  Once the milk is just warm, split the pod and scrape in the seeds (middle part) with a teaspoon.  Whisk yolks with the sugar adding the flours.  Pour in a cup or so of the warmed milk and whisk.  Then add the eggs and sugar mix to the rest of the milk putting it back on the heat stirring constantly.  It will thicken quite quickly.  So when you see it start to thicken, turn the heat to the lowest even removing the pan every so often so it can cook out the flour slowly without reaching too higher temperature.  Leave to cool with a cling film over it.  Keep in the fridge until ready to pipe. 



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