9/21/2012

Raspberry-Fig Crostata

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This is my farewell to summer/hello to fall dessert.  Raspberries are the last of the summer berries to go and figs, with their unique taste and texture, are a delicious late harvest fruit.  When baked together, the combination is delightful.

The original dough is a little hard to work with, so I chose to use a different dough--a sweet pasta frolla, to be specific.  Spiced with lemon zest, orange zest and a little cinnamon, the dough highlights the flavors of the fruits perfectly.  Half of the fruit is first cooked on the stove-top, then mixed with the fresh fruit before filling the dough lined tart.  A simple alternating of lattice strips makes for a beautiful presentation.  Cooled to room temperature, dusted with a bit of confectioners' sugar and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like (my family likes☺), this is a tasty way to enjoy the late summer season.


Raspberry-Fig Crostata
serves 8-10

For the Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1 extra large egg 
2 extra large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling
3/4 pound fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
3/4 pound fresh raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 to 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, depending on the juiciness of your fruit
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice

For the Wash
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

For the Dough
In the bowl of a food processor pulse together the flour, sugar, cinnamon,  salt, and zests.  Add the butter and pulse until pea size crumbs form.  Add the egg, yolks, and vanilla and pulse just until the dough comes together.  On a lightly floured work surface, gather the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

For the Filling
Put half of the figs and half of the raspberries in a medium saucepan.  Add the sugars, cornstarch, salt and butter and stir to mix.  Bring the mixture to a soft boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  The fruits will release their juices and the liquid will thicken.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the uncooked fruit.  Stir in the lemon and orange juice.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Cut a little more than half the dough from the disk, keeping the remaining dough wrapped and chilled until ready to use.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the bottom crust into a 12-inch round.  Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch, fluted tart pan with removable bottom and gently work the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, leaving the overhang.  Spoon the cooled filling into the tart shell; set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the remaining dough into a 10-inch circle.  Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut the circle into 1/2-inch wide strips.  Plan on using half of the strips for the vertical and half of the strips for the horizontal. Brush the edges of the filled tart shell with the egg wash.
Place a short strip vertically across the left side of the tart.  Now place a same size strip horizontally across the top of the tart, crossing the first strip. Continue alternating vertical and horizontal strips until the top is covered.  Press the strips into the edges of the tart and trim.  (Leftover dough can be used to bake cookies in a 350° F oven for 10 minutes.)  Brush the lattice top with the egg wash; reserve the wash for another coat.  Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips during baking and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Remove the tart from the refrigerator and brush once more with the egg wash.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the pastry is a rich, golden brown and the filling is bubbling.  Transfer to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.  The tart is best the day it is made, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.  Bring to room temperature before serving.  Enjoy!

Source: Filling adapted from Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan and dough adapted from NPR

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful and delicious sounding/looking (I wish I could say tasting!) This looks amazing and your photos are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a gorgeous looking crostata, love the colors very much!

    ReplyDelete

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