Raspberry Vanilla Tartlets Food

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.

APRICOT-RASPBERRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Whisk together the apricot preserves and 3 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl; stir in the dried apricots. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap; cut a small slit in the center of the wrap with the tip of a paring knife to vent excess steam. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the plastic wrap (be careful to avoid the hot steam) and let the apricots come to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Put 1 teaspoon ricotta in each phyllo shell. Gently press 1 apricot into each shell, slightly to the side, and place 1 raspberry next to it. Drizzle a little of the sauce the apricots cooked in over the top. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve.

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.