Fourth of July Recipe: Raspberry and Blueberry Creme Tart

Photo: King Arthur Flour. This festive Berries and Creme Tart is a red, white and blueberry addition 
to a Fourth of July -- or any summer -- gathering.

From Denny:  Want to play with your food like you did when you were a carefree child?  Holidays are the perfect time to have some fun playing with recipes: adult style.  St. Patrick's Day brings about the fun of green beer so why not red, white and blue colorings for Fourth of July celebrations?

Summer berries are so refreshing this time of year when the weather turns hot and humid. Recently, at our house, we enjoyed some very sweet small blueberries imported from Mexico.  They were almost as awesome as Maine blueberries and good to enjoy before the American crops were ready.  For any raw food, especially berries, be sure to wash them in a vinegar and water bath for a few minutes before eating.  Vinegar kills off loads of bacteria and doesn't mess with the flavor like bleach does.  Vinegar is also more environmentally friendly than bleach.  

Just pull out a large mixing bowl like you would to mix up cake batter, fill it with cold water and then add about a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar.  Swirl it around to distribute the vinegar into the water.  Then dunk the entire plastic box filled with berries into the water bath, turning it so the water washes over the berries.  Do for about three minutes or so and then drain the berries.  I don't rinse with water as I want the vinegar to remain a little bit on the berries, especially the ones I don't use for the recipe as it's a snap to store in the fridge, already washed and ready to go the next time you feel like eating a handful of fresh berries as a snack!

Check out this colorful patriotic dessert sure to be a holiday winner:

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Photo: King Arthur Flour. Festive Berries and Creme Tart is a red, white and blueberry addition 

to a Fourth of July -- or any summer -- gathering.

Berries and Creme Tart

Yields:  1 (9-inch) tart, 8 to 10 servings

From:  King Arthur Flour

Hands-on time:	35 mins. to 50 mins.
Baking time:	20 mins. to 25 mins.
Total time:	1 hrs 55 mins. to 2 hrs 15 mins.
Yield:	9" tart, 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

Dough:

½ cup (8 tbls.) soft butter

½ cup sugar

1 tbl. lemon zest or 1⁄8 tsp. lemon oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract, optional

½ tsp. salt

1/2 cup almond flour, optional

11/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 cup pastry cream mix prepared according to package instructions. Or, rich pudding filling made by preparing 1 ( 3.4-oz.) box of instant vanilla pudding with heavy cream, instead of milk, and adding 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

1 pint fresh raspberries

1 pint fresh blueberries

Glaze:

1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 cup clear juice, such as apple, cranberry or cranberry variation

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

Directions:

1. To make the crust: Beat together the butter, sugar, flavorings and salt.

2. Whisk together the flour and almond flour (if you’re using it), and mix into the butter. The mixture will be crumbly.

3. Press the crust into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch to 10-inch round tart pan. Use a fork to prick the dough all over. Freeze for 30 minutes (or longer), covered. Just before baking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

4. Bake the crust for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

5. Prepare the filling, and spread it into the cooled crust.

6. Top with raspberries and blueberries, and serve immediately.

7. If you’re not going to serve the tart immediately, add a glaze to keep the fruit fresh. To make the glaze: Mix the brown sugar into the juice. Soften the gelatin in the juice for 5 minutes or so, then heat in the microwave or over low heat until the gelatin dissolves. Let cool to lukewarm. Brush some of the glaze over the fruit.

Note: Extra glaze may be kept refrigerated and covered for a week or two; reheat before using

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