Raspberry Frangipane Tart

I was inspired to make this lovely raspberry frangipane tart after my recent visit and stay at a berry farm in Tasmania. After tasting the beautifully ripe and lucsious raspberries I was reminded of how, as a child, I was always delighted by the beautiful fragrance of the frangipane flowers. 

The closest thing in taste to this beautiful fragrance is almond frangipane.  And what could be a better compliment to the almond frangipane than the raspberry. 

Sweetened Shortcrust Dough

This is a lovely tender pastry commonly know as '123'. The ingredients are calculated by weight - 1 part sugar, 2 parts fat and 3 parts flour with the addition of an egg. The trick to keeping the pastry tender is not to over handle it which causes it to become tough and the finished pastry greasy.

This recipe makes 650 grams of pastry. I often double the amount and then freeze half for another day. Just leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost before using.

Ingredients:

200 grams (7 oz) unsalted butter

100 grams (3.5 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

1 large egg (55 gram/2 oz)

300 grams (10.5 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

pinch of salt 

Method:

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar lightly. Add the egg and continue mixing until the egg is absorbed. Fold in the flour and salt, mixing only until it is combined. 

The dough will be rather sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for half an hour before using. This stops the pastry from shrinking. Knead the dough lightly to soften a little. Flour your work surface and roll out to fit a 28 cm tart tin. Chill once again.

Blind bake the shortcrust pastry to prevent it from becoming soggy and to stop it from rising while baking.  To do this, line the base and sides of the uncooked pastry case with non-stick baking paper, then foil, pressing the foil flush with the base of the pastry case and up the sides. Fill with baking weights or dry beans. Place on a baking tray and cook in a preheated oven 170°C (340°F)  for 20 minutes. Remove the pastry case from the oven and remove the baking weights or beans. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes  or until light golden. Let it cool.

Frangipane Filling

Ingredients:

100 grams (3.5 oz) butter 

75 grams (2.5 oz) castor (superfine) sugar

120 grams (4.5 oz) almond meal (ground almonds)

1 teaspoon rose water

pinch of salt

2 large eggs (110 gram/4 oz)

Method: 

Cream the butter, sugar and almond meal. Add the salt and the rose water, then the eggs. Continue mixing until they are absorbed and the mixture is light and pale.

Note: You can roast the almond meal first to help bring out the flavour. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Spread it out on a baking tray and place it in the oven at 150˚C (300˚F) for 5 minutes and then cool it down completely before using. 

Assembling the tart

500 grams (approx 17 oz) raspberries

Preheat the oven to 180˚C (360°F). Spread a layer of the frangipane into the baked pastry case and spread it out evenly with a palette knife. Starting from the outside and working towards the middle of the tart, arrange the raspberries on top, nestling them upside down in concentric circles and very gently pushing them into the frangipane. Bake for 50 minutes or until the frangipane is golden on top. Cool slightly then glaze.  

For the glaze

1/2 cup of rose jam (or red currant jam)  

1 teaspoon rose water for the glaze

Heat the  jam in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until it becomes a liquid.  Remove from heat and strain through a fine strainer to remove petals.  Cool slightly, then using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of the tart with the glaze. Cool. 

Serve either warm with ice-cream or let it cool and serve with whipped cream.