It is difficult to choose a favorite berry but I think if forced to do so, raspberries would be at the top of my list.  My grandpa had raspberry bushes that grew in the corner of his backyard near the fence, and every single time I taste a really good, ripe raspberry, I am immediately transported back to those days of playing in the sun with Grandpa and eating berries until my stomach ached.  I was talking with my brother not long ago and it turns out he has similar memories with raspberries.  I love how just like certain smells or songs, food also has such a strong ability to transport us back to a different time or place.

Another strong memory I have of Grandpa is him eating a lot of pistachios.  Grumbling over the shells as he peeled them, but that pesky obstacle never stopped him from snacking on them.  I have been wanting to try the combination of raspberries and pistachios in a tart for a long time, and I’m so glad I finally did.  The ground pistachios in the dough added a nice depth of nutty flavor, and a drizzle of honey on top was the perfect finishing touch.  I think Grandpa would have loved this tart.

  • Yield 1 4 x 14-inch tart

Ingredients

For the tart dough:
½ cup shelled pistachios
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. (6 oz.) cold butter, cut into pieces
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp. heavy cream

For the filling: 
16 oz. raspberries (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup sugar
1 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Squeeze of lemon juice

To finish: 
¾ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
4-6 oz. fresh raspberries
¼ cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
Honey, for drizzling

Directions

  • 01

    To make the tart dough, place the pistachios in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until finely ground.  Add in the flour, sugar, and salt.  Pulse briefly to blend.  Add in the butter and pulse again until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add in the egg yolks and heavy cream and pulse repeatedly until the dough comes together.  Form into a slab, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1-2 hours or overnight.

  • 02

    Transfer the chilled dough to a well floured work surface.  Roll the dough out into a 7 x 16-inch rectangle and fit into a 4½ x 14-inch rectangular tart pan, pressing the dough into the edges of the pan.*  Trim away any excess.  Freeze the lined tart pan until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

  • 03

    Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with baking beads, dried beans or rice. Bake until the edges are set, about 20 minutes.  Remove the weights and parchment and bake 5-10 minutes more.  Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

  • 04

    To make the raspberry filling, combine the raspberries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Combine the water and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  Once the berries and their juices begin to bubble, stir in the cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil and let boil until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes more.  Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.  Once the filling is cool, spread in an even layer in the tart shell.

  • 05

    To finish, combine the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl.  Whisk or beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe swirls over the raspberry filling (or just spread in an even layer).  Top with the fresh raspberries, chopped pistachios and drizzle with honey.

  • 06

    *If you don’t have a 4 x 14-inch tart pan, this should also fit a 9-inch round tart pan. 

Source

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2693/13207079443_fcae4c142c_z.jpg