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Raspberry Tart in a Buttery Crust

In my mind, raspberries are one of the prettiest and most versatile of all the summer fruits. I always wished that I had room for a raspberry bush in my yard, but for now I remain content to buy them in the supermarket and Farmer’s Market.

Gluten-Free Raspberry Tarts in a Buttery Crust

Gluten-Free Raspberry Tarts in a Buttery Crust

There’s no end to the many ways you can use raspberries, but one of the showiest ways is this cute little tart where the raspberries are nestled in a buttery crust that you shape by hand—no rolling pin needed. And, they are bright red and festive so they are perfect for a showy dessert for July 4th celebrations or the most elegant dinner party.

The other nice thing about this recipe is that the pans shape the tarts into cute little fluted edges, with no extra effort on your part. But you will need special 3.5 to 4-inch tart pans that have removable bottoms. I use a nonstick pan by Chicago Metallic called a “cup pie set” that makes 4 tarts at a time. You could also use a “lift and serve tartlet” pan by the same company. These should be available in kitchen stores or online.

If you want to get creative, you can use other fruits besides raspberries. For example, nestle fresh blueberries in the baked crusts and top with blueberry jam. Bing cherries would also be nice, paired with cherry jam. I like this tart topped with unsweetened yogurt to offset the sweetness of the jam.

Raspberry Tart in a Buttery Crust©
By Carol Fenster
These cute little tarts are so simple, yet so gorgeous. The best part is that you just press the dough into the pans—no rolling pin needed—and the pan shapes a decorative edge for you! I like it with a dollop of whipped cream or plain yogurt, but it is delicious just by itself.

Buttery Crust
1/2 cup Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/16 baking soda
6 tablespoons butter or buttery spread
3 tablespoon milk of choice

Raspberry Filling
2 cups fresh raspberries
4 tablespoons good-quality raspberry jam (I like Bonne Maman)
2 to 4 teaspoons water

[1]Place racks in the bottom and middle positions of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375⁰F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour blend, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, sugar, salt, xanthan gum, and baking soda until well blended. Add the butter and milk and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until small clumps form. If you can shape the dough into a cohesive ball with your hands, it is ready. If not, beat in water (a teaspoon at a time) until the dough is ready. Knead the dough with your hands until it is very smooth.

[2] Divide the dough in fourths and shape into 4 balls. Place each ball in the center of a 3.5 to 4-inch nonstick tart pan. (I use a Chicago Metallic “cup pie set” or “lift and serve tartlet” that makes 4 tarts. The tart cups have removable bottoms.) With your fingers, press the dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides of each indentation. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. With a fork, prick the bottoms and sides of the dough a few times.

[3] Bake the tarts on the bottom rack of the oven for 5 minutes. Shift the pans to the next rack and bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges of the pastry start to brown. Remove the pans from the oven and cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.

[4] Arrange the raspberries in a single layer in the crusts. Whisk enough of the water into the jam to thin it a bit and heat in the microwave on Low power just until the jam is melted, about 5 seconds. Pour the jam over the raspberries in each crust and use a pastry brush or fork to nudge the jam into the nooks and crannies between the raspberries and out to the edges of the crust. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving. These are best eaten shortly after assembling. Makes 4 tarts.

Per tart: 375 calories; 3g protein; 16g total fat; 5g fiber; 58g carbohydrates; 42mg cholesterol; 327mg sodium

Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 1/2 cups sorghum flour or brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
Whisk together until completely blended and store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place.