French Raspberry (and Blueberry) Tart With Vanilla Cream

One of my absolute favorite desserts! This one takes a little time, but it's rewarding and fun to both make and eat! I have raspberry bushes in my yard that were very productive this year. I used many of them fresh, but I had so many that I was able to freeze them for use in the winter...when the cold becomes depressing and I need to remind myself of summer time! ;) 

This recipe isn't my own. It comes from Valerie Lugonja over at acanadianfoodie.com and I love it! It's best with Tahitian-Rum VanillaPura extract.

Laura Caulder’s Cookie Pastry Recipe

Ingredients:

• 11/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (170g) cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup (65g) granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
• Dried beans (for blind baking)

Instructions for Pastry adapted by me for use with the Thermomix:

1. Scale the flour and butter into the TM bowl; cut butter into the flour for 5 seconds on Turbo (will be fine crumbs)
2. Scale the sugar into the TM bowl for 5 seconds on Turbo (see above photo)
3. Add the egg yolks and for 3-5 seconds on speed 4-5 just long enough for the mixture to come together into a ball
4. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 min before lining tart pan, or refrigerate overnight
5. Roll out and line tart pan (thickness of 1/4 inch and lip of 1/2 inch); chill again for 30 min before baking
6. Pre-heat oven to 375°F; place tart shell on a baking sheet and blind bake the pastry by lining it with a generous piece of parchment filled with dried beans to the very top to give the sides support so they won’t shrink (this also ensures a crisper crust)
7. Blind bake for 12 min.; remove to a heatproof surface and take away parchment and beans (preserve beans for future use); prick crust bottom all over with a fork and replace in the oven, turning the heat down to 325°F and bake for 13-15 more minutes

Instructions for Pastry:

1. Mix the flour and butter with your fingers until they turn into fine crumbs; mix in the sugar
2. Add the egg yolks and mix with your fingers just long enough for the mixture to come together into a ball
3. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 min before lining tart pan, or refrigerate overnight
4. Roll out and line tart pan (thickness of 1/4 inch and lip of 1/2 inch); chill again for 30 min before baking
5. Pre-heat oven to 375°F; place tart shell on a baking sheet and blind bake the pastry by lining it with a generous piece of parchment filled with dried beans to the very top to give the sides support so they won’t shrink (this also ensures a crisper crust)
6. Blind bake for 12 min.; remove to a heatproof surface and take away parchment and beans (preserve beans for future use); prick crust bottom all over with a fork and replace in the oven, turning the heat down to 325°F and bake for 13-15 more minutes

Recipe for Crème Pâtissière and Crème Mousseline

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• half of a vanilla bean ( used the entire bean) OR 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (I didn’t use it this time)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (I used 3/4 cup)
• 1 pound fresh raspberries/Bluberries (I didn’t weigh them, I just used what I had)
• 1 9-inch/23 cm cookie crust, baked

Instructions adapted by me to make in the Themomix:

1. Put the milk in a saucepan; split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the milk and add bean into the pot
2. Heat to a simmer, remove from heat, cover, and set to infuse 10 to 20 minutes
3. Scale the sugar into the TM bowl and add the yolks; insert the butterfly and beat until pale for 10 seconds at speed 4
4. With the time set for 10 seconds and the speed at 4, add the flour through the hole in the TM lid
5. Strain the milk gradually into the egg mixture; set the time for 4 minutes and the temperature at 100°C, bring mixture to a boil at speed 4 and cook one minute (you will have to watch when the mixture comes to a boil and adjust time accordingly)
6. Stir in the framboise, if using
7. Strain into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside to cool (this is Crème Pâtissière)
8. When chilled, whip the cream and gently fold it in (this is now Crème Mousseline)
   
9. Spread the cream evenly in the base of the tart and arrange the berries neatly over top

Instructions for Pastry Cream:

1. Scale the sugar, vanilla bean paste and place the yolks in to the TM bowl; insert butterfly and beat from 2 minutes at speed 4
2. Scale in flour and milk; set time for 5 minutes, temperature to 90 on speed 4
3. Set time for 2 minutes, temperature to 100 on speed 4; watch for the temperature to reach 100 and cook for only and exactly 1 minute after that
4. Strain into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; set aside to cool (this is Crème Pâtissière)
5. When chilled, whip the cream and gently fold it in (this is now Crème Mousseline)
   
6. Spread the cream evenly in the base of the tart and arrange the berries neatly over top

Recipe for the Glaze: French Raspberry Tart (which I didn’t use this time, but may next time)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups red currant jelly
• 2 T Framboise

Instructions:

1. Place ingredients into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil; cook until mixture pours from the spoon in drops
2. Brush a thin coating of glaze over the tart shell to seal; allow to set for 5 minutes
3. Spread filling in bottom of pastry shell; arrange fresh raspberries on cream to achieve maximum visual impact
4. Coat berries with remaining glaze using a very soft pastry brush (the glaze may need to be reheated to insure easy spreading)
5. Refrigerate the tart until ready to serve