Fresh Raspberry Creme Fraiche Tart

[ludja]

Fresh Raspberry Creme Fraiche Tart

Serves 8 as Dessert.

I adapted this recipe from Patricia Well's Bistro Cooking. She quotes Cafe du Jura in Lyon, France as an inspiration.

I like this best made the same day; with a few hours to firm up in the fridge after baking. (Also good if made one day ahead). I take it out of the fridge about 30 min before serving. You can use either cream or creme fraiche in the filling; I've always used homemade "creme fraiche" and I think it adds a special taste. You need to start the creme fraiche about 24 hrs before making the tart. For a 10-inch tart (measuring the bottom of the pan) I have increased the amount of filling and also the amount of raspberries over that originally suggested. The raspberries are only cooked for ~ 15 min so they keep a nice fresh taste that contrasts well with the cream filling and sablee crust--which really does taste like a good butter cookie!

Ingredients:

4 large egg yolks

1 cup creme fraich (see recipe below)or heavy whipping cream

4 Tbs granulated sugar

1 Pate Sablee shell, pre-baked (see recipe below)

~ 3 cups fresh raspberries

1 Tbs confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F (190 deg C).

2. In large bowl, whisk egg yolks to break them up. Then whisk in the sugar and creme fraiche until well mixed. Pour mix into the pre-baked and cooked Pate Sablee crust.

3. Place raspberries by hand in concentric circles, in a single layer and closely spaced and with the bottom of the berries facing up. (The berries will shrink a bit so they should be very closely spaced at this point).

4. Cover edges of tart shell with Aluminum foil to prevent further browning if they are already pretty brown. Bake for ~ 15 min or until you filling just begins to set. (Jiggle a little to test).

5. Upon removal from oven, evenly sprinkle 1 Tbs sugar over the top of the tart. After it cools down close to room temp, cover and put in the fridge for at least 2 hrs to firm up a bit more. Take out of the fridge 30 min before serving.

Homemade Creme Fraiche

1 cup heavy cream (manufacturing cream if you can get it)

1 Tbs buttermilk

Mix cream and buttermilk together in ceramic bowl or crock and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at 70+ degrees for 18-24 hrs and then put in fridge to firm up more. (Can make several days ahead) Can try to 'speed things up' a little by storing on top of stove with oven or pilot light on.

Pate Sablee Crust

for 10 inch tart pan, removable bottom

1 cup (140 g) all purpose flour

6 Tbs (3 oz; 90 g) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/8 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

1/2 cup (70 g) confectioner's sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1. Place all ingredients except egg in food processor and process until you get coarse crumbs (~ 10-12 sec). Add beaten egg and pulse 2 dozen times until the pastry just begins to form a ball. Between two pieces of wax paper, flatten out the dough with a rolling pin into a large disk.

2. Lift dough into tart pan and quickly press dough into pan with your fingers. Make sure there is enough dough at the edges to support the crust once baked. Even out the edges, make sure there are no holes in crust. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1-2 hrs.

3. Preheat oven to 375 deg F (190 deg C).

4. Prick bottom of dough with tines of fork. Cover dough with foil and add in dried beans or pie weights. Bake dough until it begins to brown around the edges a bit and seems a bit cooked, ~ 15-20 minutes depending on your oven.

5. Remove weights and foil and bake further for ~ 15-20 min. I usually cover the edges with a rim of foil to prevent them from browning too quickly. Be careful to not overcook or burn the dough; it should be light brown and may cook more quickly in your oven.

6. Cool dough for a minimum of 15 min before filling.

Keywords: Dessert, Fruit, Intermediate, Tart, French

( RG1158 )