Raspberry and White Chocolate Tart with a Hazelnut Pastry Crust
Le Creuset Recipe
This dessert is perfect for entertaining. The tartness of the raspberries balances the sweetness of the white chocolate to create a luxurious dessert perfect for any time of the year.
Preparation time: 1 hour, plus 20 minutes chilling
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves 10-12
INGREDIENTS
For the hazelnut pastry
100g chilled butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing
50g toasted chopped hazelnuts
175g plain flour
50g icing sugar
1 large egg yolk
1½ teaspoon ice cold water
For the white chocolate filling
350ml double cream
150ml full fat milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
400g good quality white chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
For the coulis
250g fresh raspberries
6 tablespoons icing sugar
Juice of half a lemon
To serve
200g raspberries
Icing sugar, to dust
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METHOD
1. For the pastry case, grease the flan/tart dish with a little butter. Process the hazelnuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add 4 tablespoons of the flour and grind once more until they resemble the texture of ground almonds. Add the remaining flour, icing sugar and butter and process until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
2. Mix the egg yolk with the water, add to the food processor bowl containing the other pastry ingredients and process briefly until the mixture comes together into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20-30 minutes.
3. Remove the pastry from the fridge, roll out thinly and use to line the base and sides of the flan dish, crimping the edges with your fingers to create a fluted finish. Prick the base with a fork and chill for a further 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ Fan 180°C/ Gas Mark 6. Line the pastry case with foil and a thin layer of baking beans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove the foil and beans and return to the oven for 8 minutes, until the base of the case is golden brown. Remove the pastry case from the oven and lower the temperature to 170°C/ Fan 150°C/ Gas Mark 3 ½.
5. For the filling, heat the cream, milk and salt together in a pan until just simmering. Remove from the heat, add the white chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes, then add the vanilla and stir in the beaten egg. Strain the mixture through a sieve into the pastry case and bake for 30 minutes or until just set. The centre should still be slightly wobbly. Remove from the oven and leave to go cold.
6. For the raspberry coulis, simply place all the ingredients in a tall narrow jug and use a stick blender to blend smooth. You can pass it through a sieve if you prefer a smoother sauce.
7. Serve the tart in the dish, topped with the fresh raspberries, the coulis and a dusting of icing sugar.
Cook’s Notes
• Serve this tart as soon as possible after making so that the pastry case remains nice and crisp.