Raspberry & White Chocolate Tart
These individual raspberry & white chocolate tarts are draped invitingly with a white chocolate ganache, and the classic flavour combination is finished with a sprinkling of freeze dried raspberries. They're as delicious as they are aesthetically pleasing.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 4 12cm (4½in) loose bottomed tart tins
- Rolling Pin
- baking beans
- baking parchment
Ingredients
For the sweet pastry (Pate Sucree)
- 150 g (5oz) plain flour plus a little extra for rolling out
- 50 g (2oz) icing sugar
- 50 g (2oz) butter chilled
- 1 large egg
For the White Chocolate Creme Patisserie
- 150 ml (5floz) double cream (US = Heavy cream)
- 150 ml (5floz) milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 75 g (3oz) golden caster sugar
- 30 g (1¼ oz) cornflour (US= cornstrach)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50 g (2oz) white chocolate broken into pieces
For the White Chocolate Ganache
- 3 tablespoons double Cream
- 60 g (2½oz) white chocolate chopped into small pieces.
To Assemble the Tarts
- 40 g (1½oz) white chocolate (optional see cook's tips)
- 3-4 tablespoon seedless raspberry Jam
- 225g (8oz) fresh raspberries
- freeze dried raspberries to sprinkle
Instructions
To make the pastry
- Place 150g (5oz) flourand 50g (2oz) icing sugar in a mixing bowl and rub in 50g (2oz) butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in the centre and add one beaten large egg. Using a dinner knife, or similar, cut through the mixture to mix a into a dough adding a little cold water to bring the mixture together if required.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead the dough. Wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Make the white chocolate creme patisserie
- Pour 150ml (5floz) each, cream and milk into a saucepan. Heat until just coming to a simmer. Set the pan aside. In a medium sized bowl whisk 3 egg yolks and 75g (3oz) sugar together to combine. Add 30g (1¼oz) cornflour and mix until smooth. Whisk in about half of the hot milk mixture then pour back into the pan, continuing to stir all of the time.
- Set the pan over a low heat and allow the custard to cook stirring constantly, until it coats the back of a spoon. If the custard starts to go a little lumpy as it begins to thicken take it off the heat and beat well until smooth again.
- Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 50g (2oz) white chocolate. Stir well, allowing the chocolate to completely melt. Pour the custard into a clean bowl. Cover with a sheet of dampened parchment and set aside to cool.
Line the tart cases
- Remove the pastry from the fridge and divide into 4 pieces of roughly equal size. Roll out one portion on into a circle on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a tart tin, trim away any excess pastry.
- Line the remaining tart cases in the same way. Chill for at least 10 - 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5, placing a baking tray onto the middle shelf which is large enough for the tart cases.
- Remove the lined tart tins from the fridge. Use a fork to gently prick the pastry base. Line the pastry cases with baking parchments and fill with baking beans.
- Place the cases into the oven and cook for 10 minutes and remove the parchment and baking bean. Return the tart cases to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.
- Remove the tart cases from the oven and place onto a cooling rack. After 5 minutes carefully remove the pastry cases from the tins and allow to completely cool.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Pour 3 tablespoons of cream into a small pan and set over a medium heat. Heat until just about to simmer. Place 60g (2½oz) chopped white chocolate into a bowl then pour the heated cream over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts into the cream to produce a smooth ganache. Set aside to cool and firm up a little.
To assemble
- Break the 40g (1½oz) white chocolate into pieces and place in a heat rpoof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (bain marie). Ensure the water in the pan doesn't touch the base of the bowl. Melt the chocolate then brush a thin layer onto the inside of the pastry case. Set aside to allow the chocolate to set.
- Once the chocolate inside the pastry case has set and the creme patisserie is completely cold assemble the tarts. Stir the custard thoroughly. Use a teaspoon to fill the pastry cases. Avoid over filling them.
- Place 3 to 4 tablespoons jam into a bowl. Add a few drops of water and stir well to slacken. Use a teaspoon to carefully spoon some of the raspberry jam over the surface of the creme patisserie using the back of the spoon to gently spread the jam out.
- Arrange a few fresh raspberries on top of each tart. Spoon the cooled ganache into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Drizzle the chocolate over the top of each tart. Finish with a scattering of freeze dried raspberries. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook's Tips
- The layer of white chocolate painted over the pastry base acts as a barrier preventing the custard from spoiling the pastry. This step can be missed out if you're serving the raspberry tarts straight away.
- To prevent a skin forming on creme patisserie as it cools. take a sheet of parchment, make it damp then scrunch up and open out a gain. Press the dampened parchment onto the surface of the custard.
- If the chocolate ganache has firmed up a little too much when you're ready to pipe it onto the tarts simply warm it through gently until it is the consistency you're happy with.
- Rather than using a disposable piping bag you may prefer to make a small piping cone with baking parchment or greaseproof. Alternatively, drizzle the chocolate with a teaspoon.
- The pastry cases can be made a few days in advance, store in an airtight container in a cool place.
- The creme patisserie can be made the day before.
- Once assembled the tarts will keep for up to 2 days. Chill and bring to cool room temperature to serve.
- Not suitable for freezing.