Deep-Dish Raspberry Almond Tart

Yield: 12 to 16 servings

Because this tart bakes slowly in a ceramic quiche pan, the crust has time to bake through. Many pastry chefs bake in hearth ovens, the same ovens in which crusty artisan bread is baked. The heated stone sends a steady blast of even heat into pastries, baking them to a delectable crispness. At home, you can achieve similar results if you bake this tart in a ceramic quiche pan or glass pie plate placed on a pre heated baking stone. If you can’t find the 11-inch pan we recommend, use your largest and deepest pie pan.

For the Dough
1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 cup ice water

For the Filling
1 cup (8 ounces) Love’n Bake® Almond Paste
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons lemon juice
grated zest for one lemon
3 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup blanched almonds, ground fine
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen raspberries, unthawed
1/3 cup apricot, current, seedless raspberry or other jam

Place a baking stone, if available on the middle shelf in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Combine the flour, salt and cold butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Blend the dough by pulsing 10 times. The butter should stay in visible pea-sized pieces. Add the cold water and pulse a few times to moisten the dough. It will not come together in a ball. Dump the flour mixture into a large bowl. (Set aside the food processor bowl without washing to use for the filling.) Gather the crumbly dough up
into a ball.

Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to form a 15-inch circle. Line a 10 or 11-inch ceramic quiche or tart pan with the dough. Trim the dough so that an even 1/2 to 3/4-inch hangs over the edge. Then fold the overhanging dough over to make a smooth edge. Set aside in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

For the filling, place the Love’n Bake® Almond Paste and sugar in the bowl of the food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth with a texture like sand, approximately 1 minute. Add the butter, lemon juice and grated lemon zest. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds to one minute.

When smooth, add the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and salt. Blend well.
Sprinkle the ground almonds over the bottom of the pie crust. Scatter about 1 cup of the frozen raspberries over the bottom of the pan. Add the filling spreading it evenly out over the raspberries. Sprinkle the remaining frozen raspberries evenly over the surface of the almond filling.

Bake until the crust is browned and cooked through and the filling has set, approximately 45 to 55 minutes.

Let the tart cool on a rack. Before serving, heat the apricot jam until warm and spreadable. Brush it over the surface of the tart. Cut into 12 or more wedges and serve immediately. Or cover the tart loosely with plastic wrap and serve the next day. (You may also refrigerate the tart for 2 or 3 days. Before serving, reheat it at 350°F until warm.)

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Love'n Bake® - ingredients from American Almond Products.