Baked Raspberry Tart - Cooks Illustrated

Published May 1, 2005.

Tart raspberries, rich custard, and a buttery crust are a classic, white-tablecloth combination. We were seeking a more rustic, casual approach.

The Problem

A classic raspberry tart is beautiful in appearance, but preparing one is a full-scale production more suitable for formal occasions.

The Goal

For casual dining, we wanted a simple, humble raspberry tart that would still provide a perfect marriage of fruit, custard, and pastry.

The Solution

We focused on perfecting a baked raspberry tart -- using a prebaked tart shell loaded with raspberries and topped with a simple butter, egg, sugar, and flour batter before baking. We found our classic pâte sucrée recipe made an excellent crust, so the real challenge was developing flavor and texture in our simple batter. After determining the correct ingredient amounts, we heightened flavor by browning the butter instead of simply melting it. We also substituted Wondra flour for all-purpose flour. While just two tablespoons of all-purpose flour made the filling starchy and coarse, Wondra’s quick-dissolving properties achieved a smoothy, silky texture.

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