Wild Raspberry Tart

Every year at this time we watch our wild raspberries slowly mature from firm and yellowish to juicy, bright red . . .and pickable.  And then  we make our raspberry tart with its rich crust and pastry cream filling.  Instead of the tart pan with removable bottom, I decided to use my new straight-sided silicon pan.  The finished tart popped out easily.

Tart dough:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 T sugar

¼ t salt

6 T unsalted butter, cut into 1T chunks

2 T Crisco

4 T ice water

Mix flour, sugar and salt in food processor.  Place butter and Crisco on tope. Pulse briefly.  Sprinkle 4 T ice water around contents of bowl.  Pulse just tutil mixture holds ogether between fingers.  Don’t let a ball form.  Empty bowl on work surface. Bring together and press with heel of hand against work surface to incorporate ingredients.  Form into a disk, wrap and chill for at least a half hour.

Roll pastry into a 12 inch circle.  Unroll into a 9-inch tart pan or silicone straight-sided pan, press against sides and make sure dough is thick enough not to collapse.  Sides will shrink a little during baking. Trim excess.  Chill fifteen minutes.  Fit a piece of foil and pie weights into shell and bake in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes. Remove weights and foil and continue to bake until nicely browned (about 8 minutes).  Cool on wire rack.

Pastry Cream:

½ cup milk

4 t flour

2T sugar

Pinch salt

2 t powdered gelatin

1 egg

½ cup heavy cream, whipped

Heat milk in a small saucepan. Place flour, sugar, salt and gelatin in a heavy saucepan and stir together.  Mix in the egg with a wooden spoon un a smooth paste is formed.  Slowly whisk in the hot milk.  Place the saucepan over medium heat, whisking until mixture becomes a thick custard. To aid cooling, place mixture in a small bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.  Fold in the whipped cream.. Spread custard over pre-baked pastry shell.

1 ½ pints wild raspberries

2 oz. red currant jelly

Top with raspberries arranged in a circular pattern starting along the outside.  Melt red currant jelly and brush lightly over berries.  Thin with a dash of water (or Chambord) if necessary.