Raspberry Frangipane Tarts

Fruit is by far one of my favourite aspects of Australian Summer.. mangoes, peaches, nectarines, cherries, strawberries and... raspberries! I picked up these beauties at Maloneys Grocer on Crown Street in Surry Hills over the weekend. Beautiful Tasmanian raspberries for only $4 a punnet! These were just so good I was inspired to incorporate them into a dish where they could shine in all their jewel-like glory!

This recipe is an adaptation of the Frangipane Tart recipe showcased by Matt Moran on Masterchef Australia in 2010. A good frangipane tart is a great addition to every baker's repertoire - with its 'melt in your mouth' crumbly pastry and almond filling, it is the perfect platform for your favourite fruit(s) to make for a simple and elegant dessert. I find the following to be a good reliable recipe, particularly the lovely pâte brisée - a delicate shortcrust pastry that just breaks (brisée being the verb 'to break' in french) as you bite into it. The other great thing about this recipe is that you don't have to blindbake the tart case!

Raspberry Frangipane Tarts

makes 16 x 8cm tarts, but can easily be halved

Ingredients

375g plain flour

50g icing sugar

200g unsalted butter

1 free range/organic egg

125g unsalted butter

125g icing sugar

125g almond meal

2 free range/organic eggs

1 free range/organic egg yolk

25ml dark rum

1/4c strained, warmed raspberry jam

2 punnets fresh raspberries

Method

1. Grease and line the base of your loose bottomed tart tins and set aside.

2. To make the pastry, add the flour, icing sugar and butter to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse again until the dough comes together. Wrap in cling wrap, then rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry until 3-4mm thick. (you can freeze remaining pastry for up to 4 weeks). Line the tart tin with pastry, then rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.

4. For the frangipane, cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Be careful not to overbeat it. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time until incorporated in the mixture. Fold in the almond meal and dark rum.

5. Remove the tart tins from the fridge. Brush half of the jam over the bottom of the tarts, then spread a spoonful of frangipane into each tart case. Lightly press 6 raspberries into the mixture of each tart.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celcius for 30-35 until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and brush each tart lightly with remaining raspberry jam. Serve with whipped cream and any remaining berries.

Having made frangipane tarts at home for the first time, I can't believe how good they taste is in comparison to the dry frangipane tarts I've tried in cafes in the past. There really is no comparison - the frangipane filling is beautifully moist and the pastry crumbles as you bite into it .... Mmmm! Can't wait to try this simple recipe out with other fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, nectarines or even pairings like pear and raspberry, or peach and raspberry, for example. The options are endless!

Ladybird x