Raspberry Vanilla Tartlets Recipes

RASPBERRY & VANILLA BEAN CREAM TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• In a food processor, process the flour, sugar and salt for about 10 seconds.
• Then add the chunks of butter and process until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
• Add the egg yolk and process again until the egg is thoroughly combined.
• If you are making mini tarts (tartlets), separate the mixture into 6 - 3 inch tart pans, and press the dough into the molds, making the sides slightly higher than the centre. Bake for 12-15 minutes, making sure to prick them with a fork several times, as the dough tends to puff up. Watch them carefully, as they go from not done to overcooked very quickly!
• If you are making one large tart, press the mixture into a 10 inch tart pan (making the sides slightly higher than the centre) and bake for about 15-18 minutes. Again make sure to prick the tart with a fork several times while baking, and watch it carefully.
• Using a mixer, beat together the sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.
• In a small saucepan combine the milk and the vanilla bean, bring to a simmer. Then remove the vanilla bean.
• Pour about half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and stir.
• Then return this milk/egg mixture to the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan, and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and slightly bubbly. Make sure to whisk constantly so that the mixture doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Cover the custard with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming, then it set aside to cool.
• Once the tart shells and custard have cooled, add about a 1/4 cup of the custard to each shell.
• Top with fresh raspberries, and a dusting of icing sugar.
• Enjoy!

RASPBERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Butter one side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Spread the tart with raspberry preserves and place the raspberries, stem end down, in concentric circles. If you are making a square tart, place the raspberries in rows. Serve immediately.

RASPBERRY AND VANILLA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To make the crust, place the wafers in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until finely crushed. Add a couple of drops of water. Press the mixture evenly and firmly onto the bottom of a springform pan (see note below), making a fist and using the back of your hand and fingers. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. On low speed, add the sour cream and vanilla and set aside. In a clean mixing bowl, using the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar. Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes until fluffy. Fold in the softened cream cheese mixture. Separate this mixture into two large glass bowls. To one of the bowls, add the raspberry puree, mix well. In another bowl, using an electric mixer with clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites. Start at low speed and increase the speed as the peaks form. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. When the whites are stiff but not dry, scrape them equally into the two bowls of filling and use a spatula to gently fold them in. Don't over mix the filling. Pour alternating plain mixture and raspberry mixture into the prepared pan until the pan is filled. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until the cake has risen and browned slightly and it just shimmies when you gently move the pan. It's a good idea to place the springform on a low, flat, pan, such as a pizza pan, to catch any batter that leaks. Turn the heat off and let the cake stand in the oven for 1 hour more. Remove the cake from the oven and cool before serving. You can make this cake a day ahead.

RASPBERRY CURD TARTLETS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in almonds. Press into 2-1/2-in. tartlet pans; trim edges. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pans., For raspberry curd, combine raspberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed. Press through a strainer to remove seeds., In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add the raspberry puree, sugar and eggs. Cook and stir for 10-15 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thickened and reaches 160°. Remove from the heat. Add food coloring if desired. Press plastic wrap on surface of curd. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight., Spoon about 3 tablespoons of curd into each tart shell; top with whipped cream, raspberries and mint. Refrigerate leftovers.

VANILLA BEAN AND RASPBERRY TART

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, the salt, lemon peel and vanilla bean seeds. Beat in butter with electric mixer on medium speed until mixture looks like small peas. In small bowl, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup limoncello with whisk. Slowly beat egg mixture into butter mixture. Turn off mixer as soon as dough comes together. Roll into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured work surface, roll dough into circle big enough to fit in 9-inch tart pan. Place in ungreased pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool completely.
• To make filling, in large bowl, beat mascarpone, cream, limoncello, sugar, lemon peel, and vanilla bean seeds in electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Spread filling in cooled crust. Arrange raspberries on top. Melt jelly in small microwavable bowl uncovered in 20-second intervals, until it melts completely. Brush jelly over raspberries with pastry brush.

BERRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Using a 4-in. round cookie cutter, cut 12 circles, rerolling scraps as necessary. Press circles onto bottoms and up sides of ungreased muffin cups., Mix sugar and cornstarch; toss with berries and lemon juice. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each cup. Bake on a lower oven rack until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 24-26 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack; cool completely., For topping, beat cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, mix lemon curd, sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon whipped cream; fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon over filling. If desired, top with fresh berries. Refrigerate until serving.