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    Blackberry Tart


    Source of Recipe


    Joy of Baking


    List of Ingredients


    • Sweet Pastry Crust:
    • 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all purpose flour
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
    • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
    • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
    • Cream Filling:
    • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
    • 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
    • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Topping:
    • 1 - 2 cups fresh blackberries or other berries
    • 1/4 cup (60 ml) blackberry or raspberry jam


    Instructions


    1. Sweet Pastry Crust: In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside. Place the butter in your mixer and beat until softened. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated. Don't over mix or the butter will separate and lighten in color. Add flour mixture all at once and mix just until it forms a ball. Don't overwork or pastry will be hard when baked.


    2. Flatten dough into disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate about one hour or until firm.


    3. Have ready an 8 - 9 inch (20 - 23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11 - 12 inch (28 - 30 cm) circle that is about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness). To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than pan.


    4. When the pastry is the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto top of tart pan. Never pull pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan). Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry. With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan. Roll rolling pin over top again to get rid of any extra pastry. Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and freeze for about 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.


    5. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights, rice or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for 20 minutes or until crust is dry and lightly golden brown. Remove weights and continue to bake for about 5 - 10 minutes or until the crust is cooked through. Remove from oven and completely cool the crust on a wire rack before filling.


    6. Cream Filling: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer or wire whisk) beat the mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract just until soft peaks form.


    7. To Assemble Tart: To remove the tart from the fluted sides of the pan, place your hand under the pan, touching only the removable bottom not the sides. Gently push the tart straight up, away from the sides. The fluted tart ring will fall away and slide down your arm. If you want to remove the bottom of the pan, run a knife or thin metal spatula between the crust and metal bottom, then slide the tart onto your serving plate.


    8. Spread the cream onto the tart, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon or with an offset spatula. Scatter the blackberries on top of the cream.




    9. In a small saucepan, warm the jam. Strain to remove any large lumps of fruit, and then gently brush or spoon the jam over the berries. This step will keep the berries from drying out and also makes them nice and shiny. If not serving immediately, refrigerate. Take out about 30 minutes before serving to give the fruit and cream a chance to warm to room temperature.




    Final Comments


    Serves about 6 - 8 people

 

 

 


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