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Little raspberry tarts topped with three raspberries each
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Raspberry Tarts

Delicious little raspberry tarts have a crisp homemade butter crust filled with raspberry infused pastry cream topped with fresh berries a raspberry reduction.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Servings 24 Tarts
Calories 360kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

Custard:

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tbs cold unsalted butter

Pastry:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 300g
  • 3 tbsp water ice cold 45mL
  • 2 tbsp vodka
  • 1 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed 226g
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar 50g

Raspberry Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 6 oz raspberries
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice

For the Assembly:

  • 1 tbsp Confectioner's sugar for dusting
  • 72 raspberries

Instructions

For the Pastry Dough

  • Add the all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Give it a few pulses before adding the butter.
  • Cut the COLD butter up into tablespoon sized pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Pulse a few times until the butter is in pea-sized clumps. In a small bowl mix together the ice water and vodka. Drizzle the mixture into the processor while pulsing. If you can squeeze the dough into a clump that stays together it's done. If not, add in another tablespoon of ice water. P.S. The vodka will bake off so don't worry about adding it in!
  • Transfer the dough onto a pastry mat or another floured surface and knead 2 to 3 times just to help it come together a bit. Gently flatten the dough into a one-inch thick disk and cover it in plastic wrap or a ziplock bag, then place it in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes to an hour.
  • Roll the chilled pastry dough out on a well-floured surface. My tart forms came with this great cutting tool for that cute rilled edge but rougher circles will work just as well.
  • A also use this little stamp to press the dough down but fingers would work just as well.
  • Pierce the shells with a fork a couple of times to let steam out and weight down with beans over some parchment paper.
  • Bake at 425F until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes. I removed the tarts and let them cool on a cloth.

For the Reduction

  • Add the raspberries, water, lemon juice, and sugar to a small pot over medium heat. muddle and mix a bit. Once it starts to bubble reduce to a simmer and allow to reduce by about half.

For the Custard

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean by bringing it to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat then set it aside to infuse for 15 minutes.
  • Separate the egg whites and yolks into a separate bowls. Don’t throw out those egg whites, you can use them to make many tasty things! Put the yolks into a larger bowl.
  • Pour in 2/3 cup sugar in with the egg yolks and whisk them together until it’s a light and fluffy mixture.Now add the cornstarch and mix vigorously. You don’t want any lumps remaining! You can also sift it into the bowl to help prevent those lumps.
  • Whisk in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture until it is incorporated then mix the remaining hot milk mixture in. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking continuously until thickened and slowly boiling. Now go ahead and remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
  • Let it cool slightly then pour it into a bowl, mix in the raspberry reduction and set aside.

For the Assembly

  • I filled the shells with my leftover strawberry custard. A dollop of whipped cream would work well as long as you don't plan on storing them very long.
  • I placed three raspberries on each tart and then added a few drops of the strawberry sauce I made between each berry.
  • You could use some thinned out jam instead if you want to save time.
  • Dust with some confectioner's sugar for garnish and you're done!

Notes

  • If your dough looks crumbly after adding the water then place a spoonful in the palm of your hand and squeeze together. if it forms into a clump then it’s fine! If it’s still a crumbly mess add a few more tablespoons of ice water.
  • Don’t skimp on the chill time! This is when your dough will rest and come together.
  • Give the egg wash a thorough mix for a nice even golden crust. globs of egg whites will mar the look and texture.
  • When rolling out the dough make sure to move it around frequently and add more flour to the work surface and top.

Nutrition

Serving: 111g | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 70mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.1mg