I live! And not only do I live, I made a pretty amazing raspberry tart.
This is another [1] recipe [2] from one of my favorite bakers, Alice Medrich. It combines a toasty, buttery coconut crust with the perfect combination of cooked and fresh raspberries. It is super easy to make, and relatively fool proof, but very impressive. It reminds me of something I might find in cafe in Paris served with some whipped cream or crème fraîche.
We didn’t eat it in Paris, or even after a French meal. We ate it while standing among packing materials and paint chips. Moving is stressful y’all! I am so looking forward to November and having all of the packing and moving behind us. I am excited to be settled into a new kitchen in time for the holidays. Soon, soon. Thanks for your continued patience in the meantime. In case you didn’t see it already, there is a little interview with me over at Gapers Block. Check it out [3] to learn more about some of my favorite things in Chicago.
Really Raspberry Coconut Tart (from Alice Medrich)
Crust:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Filling
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 6 cups raspberries, rinsed and spread on paper towels to drain
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
CRUST
Position a rack in lower third of oven. Place your heaviest, darkest baking sheet (or pizza stone) on the rack and preheat oven to 425°F.
Set a medium bowl near the stove. Spread the coconut in a wide heavy skillet, set over medium heat, and stir constantly until the coconut begins to color slightly. Turn the heat down and continue to stir until the coconut is mostly light golden brown and flecked with some white. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes, be careful not to burn the coconut. Immediately scrape toasted coconut into bowl.
Stir the sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt into the coconut. Add the flour and mix just until well blended. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. This takes a little patience as there is just enough dough.
FILLING
Mix the sugar and flour together in a medium bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups of the berries and gently fold or toss to coat them with the sugar mixture. Pour the berries (including any loose flour or sugar) into the crust and spread them evenly.
Set the pan on a square of foil and fold the edges of the foil up and loosely over the edges of the crust to protect them temporarily. Set on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350°F, unfold the foil to expose crust edge, and bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the berry juices are bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes more. About halfway through, use a fork to gently break up the berries.
Remove the tart from the oven and arrange the remaining berries attractively, as close together as possible, over the hot berries. Cool completely on a rack.
Remove the sides of the tart pan and dust the tart with powdered sugar before serving. The tart is best if served within a few hours of baking.