French Berry Torte Recipes

HEAVENLY BLUEBERRY TART

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Add vinegar, tossing with a fork to moisten. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased 9-in. tart pan with removable bottom. , For filling, lightly smash 2 cups blueberries in a bowl. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir into smashed blueberries. Spread mixture evenly into crust; sprinkle with 1 cup of the remaining whole blueberries. Place tart pan on a baking sheet., Bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven; arrange remaining berries over top. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

BLUEBERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter; process until large moist crumbs form (dough should hold together when squeezed).
• Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; with floured fingers, press evenly into bottom and up sides. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes; prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, reserve 1 cup of the prettiest berries for topping. In a medium saucepan, bring 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 cups berries to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water; stir into berries in pan. Add lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring, just until mixture begins to thicken, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups fresh berries. Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula.
• Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula. Scatter reserved berries on top, pressing down lightly to help them adhere. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes and up to overnight.

RASPBERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press the dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square false-bottom tart pan, making sure that the finished edge is flat. Chill until firm.
• Butter one side of a square of aluminum foil to fit inside the tart and place it, buttered side down, on the pastry. Fill with beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans, prick the tart all over with the tines of a fork, and bake again for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Spread the tart with raspberry preserves and place the raspberries, stem end down, in concentric circles. If you are making a square tart, place the raspberries in rows. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC FRENCH STRAWBERRY TART (TARTE AUX FRAISES)

Steps:

• Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.
• Step 1 -To make the crust, whisk together in a mixing bowl the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter and mix with your fingers (or pulse in a food processor), until you get a crumbly consistency and pea-size bits of butter are still visible. Add the egg and mix until the dough roughly comes together into a ball; do not overmix. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat your oven to 350F (180C) with a rack in the middle.
• Grease and flour a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan. Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface and roll it out to a 12-inch (31cm) circle. Transfer the crust to the pan. Cut any excess crust that hangs over the edge, and poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line the top of the crust with foil or parchment paper and place pie weights or dried beans to keep the pie crust from puffing when baking.
• Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper filled with weights and bake for 10 more minutes, until the edges of the crust are slightly golden. Set aside to cool completely.
• Step 2 - To make the crème pâtissière, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm up the milk and vanilla. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk and sugar until lighter in color and fluffy. Whisk in the flour and cornstarch. When the milk is just simmering, pour it into the egg mixture, and whisk until just incorporated.
• Transfer back into the saucepan, whisk occasionally and remove from the heat as soon as it begins to thicken and bubble. Pour into a clean bowl, and cover the crème with plastic wrap; the wrap should touch the whole surface of the crème to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool completely.
• Step 3 - To assemble the tart, place the crust onto a serving plate. Spread the crème pâtissière over the bottom of the crust. Wash, drain, de-stem and halve the strawberries. Gently place them on top of the crème in a circular pattern (bottom side down).
• Warm up the apricot jam in a microwave for 15 seconds and pass it through a fine mesh strainer if needed (to discard of fruit chunks). Gently brush the jam over the strawberries. Chill the tart for at least one hour before serving.

FRENCH BERRY TORTE

Steps:

• Place egg whites, 1 teaspoon vanilla and cream of tartar in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Beat egg white mixture until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff speaks form. Fold in pecans and saltines., Spread into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake 350° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 2 tablespoons cream until smooth. In another bowl, beat remaining cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and remaining vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form., With a spatula, stir a fourth of the sweetened whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream until combined. Spread 1/2 cup jam over meringue shell. Top with cream cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours., Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Remove sides of pan. Arrange strawberries over top. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave remaining jam in 10-second intervals until melted; brush over strawberries.

BLUEBERRY TART (TARTE AUX MYRTILLES)

Steps:

• To make the pastry, put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the sugar and then fold in the egg. Add enough of the water to bring everything together and knead into a smooth, non-sticky dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a circle measuring about 28cm/11in in diameter. Line a 25cm/10in loose-bottomed tart tin with the pastry and prick the base all over with a fork. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Line the pastry case with crumpled greaseproof paper and add some baking beans. Bake for about 10 minutes, remove the paper and beans and put the pastry back in the oven for another 3-4 minutes. Turn the oven down to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• To make the filling, sprinkle the pastry case with the ground almonds and then the blueberries and bake for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a custard by mixing the double cream, icing sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl. Pour this mixture over the berries and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until the tart filling is fairly firm and golden.
• Leave the tart to cool in the tin on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or crème fraîche.

CLASSIC BLUEBERRY TART

Steps:

• Add the flour, salt, and sugar to the food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. Then add the chilled cubed butter. Pulse for 30 seconds at a time until you have a breadcrumb consistency.Pro tip - pulse in shot burst so the butter is cut into small pieces rather than creamed into the flour.
• Combine egg yolk and ice water in a small bowl, add to the food processor feed tube while pulsing at the same time. Pulse for just 30 seconds. Pro tip - the mixture will still be crumbly but when squished with your fingers it should form a dough.
• Pour the crumbly mixture on a floured work surface and gather it all into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc and chill for 30 minutes.Pro tip - we need to chill just until it is firm enough to roll. But, this can be kept in the fridge for 2 days until you are ready to use it.
• When chilled lightly roll on a floured surface to about 1/8 thickness.Pro tip - if the dough cracks too much around the edges it means it is too chilled. Leave it on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes until you are able to roll again smoothly
• Use your 9-inch tart pan as a guide to know how big you need to roll it. Transfer the dough to the tart pan.Pro tip - to transfer the dough easily, roll over the rolling pin and then unroll over the pan.
• Gently press the dough into the tart pan making sure to press down into the shape of the pan with removable bottom.Pro tip - this dough is delicate so if it breaks don't worry so much. Just patch it and do the best you can. It will be filled with custard so no one will see the patches ????
• Trim the excess dough at the edges with a rolling pin, or your thumb. Chill the tart shell for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven at 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5
• Line the chilled dough with parchment paper and fill it with baking beans or pie weights.Pro tip - the best way to line the pie with parchment is to scrunch the paper into a ball, open it, and line with the crumpled paper.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are lightly starting to brown. Remove the parchment paper and weights.
• Continue to bake the empty shell for 10 to 15 minutes more until lightly golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack until completely coldPro tip - this is a fully baked tart shell and can be used to add any filling once cooled completely. Do not remove from the pan until you have finished assembling
• In a medium bowl combine egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch. Whisk until light and foamy. Gradually, add the milk and cream a little at a time to prevent lumps
• Place the saucepan on medium heat and let the mixture come to an almost boil. Keep stirring with a whisk at all times - taking it off the heat if necessary to prevent curdling.Pro tip - This has to be cooked slowly on low heat with constant stirring or the mixture will curdle. You will notice the big bubbles start to disappear as the mixture thickens.
• When thick and coats the back of a spoon. Strain thru a sieve. Finally, add the butter and give it a good mix. Pro tip - straining the mixture will remove any curdled eggs and the butter will give it a nice velvety texture.
• Cover the custard with plastic wrap making sure the plastic is in contact with the surface of the custard to prevent skin from forming.Pro tip - a skin will make a very lumpy custard filling so we want the plastic to touch the surface of the custard.
• Place in the fridge to cool completely. When cooled place the custard in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and whip for 2 minutes on high until light and fluffyPro tip - The custard will whip light and fluffy. It also gives a smooth glossy filling that looks like mousse and will hold better
• In a saucepan add the blueberries, sugar, salt, and half the water. Cook on medium-low until all the sugar had dissolved. Pro tip - the sugar will melt and the mixture will look very runny. The blueberries will swell soaking some of the sugar syrup so keep the heat to low and let it simmer slowly.
• Add cornstarch to the remaining water - stir well. Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to cook until the mixture becomes thick and glossyPro tip - cornstarch tends to settle down so make sure to stir before you add it to anything
• Continue to cook on medium - the mixture will thicken and looks glossy. The color will change from an opaque light red to a translucent deep red color.Pro tip - it is important that the cornstarch comes to a boil only then will it go from opaque to a transparent glossy sheen. This means the cornstarch is cooked.
• When glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or spatula it's ready. Remove from heat. Cool completely until ready to use it.
• Pour the whipped vanilla pastry cream into the baked and cooled shortcrust pastry.Pro tip - the shell is quite delicate so keep the pastry shell in the tart pan until you have assembled the tart.
• Gently spoon the cooled blueberry filling over the pastry cream. Spread it carefully making sure to not disturb the pastry cream too much.Pro tip - if the blueberry filling is too thick, add a few tablespoons of hot water and give it a good mix. That will help smoothen it out.
• Chill the tart in the fridge for at least 3 hours. When cooled and set - garnish with the fresh blueberries. I placed some in the center and dusted it with powdered sugar.Pro tip - Alternatively, you can also pipe some whipped cream along the edges of the tart for a bakery-style tart effect.
• Enjoy!

MIXED BERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until a soft dough forms. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared pan; prick with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool; do not turn oven off.
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar; mix until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs; blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice; mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into cooled tart shell.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling has set, about 25 minutes. Chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour. Top with berries and garnish with mint.

BLUEBERRY TORTE

Steps:

• Mix graham crackers, butter, and white sugar together in a bowl; press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Chill crust until firm, about 1 hour.
• Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in whipped topping.
• Spread cream cheese mixture evenly onto crust; top with blueberry pie filling. Chill until firm, 4 hours or overnight.

FRENCH BLUEBERRY TART

Steps:

• Place a yogurt strainer or a mesh strainer lined with a fine cheesecloth or coffee filter over a jar to catch the whey and place the yogurt into the prepared strainer; place the jar(s) in the refrigerator and allow to drain for 24 hours.
• Prepare the tart shell as directed and allow to cool.
• While cooling, prepare the blueberry topping by placing half the blueberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, cornstarch, sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to a boil and cook until thickened and clear; stir in the remaining berries; set aside and allow to cool until it just warm to the touch.
• Place the strained yogurt in a medium mixing bowl, whisk in powdered sugar.
• Spoon the sweetened yogurt into the cooled tar shell and top with blueberry topping.
• Place in refrigerator and allow to sit until thoroughly chilled.

BLUEBERRY-LEMON TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the dough resembles cornmeal. Add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse again until the dough pulls together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it inside a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the edges of the pan and fold the excess dough inside to reinforce the rim. Cover the tart pan with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to rest.
• To bake the shell, heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Cover the shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 teaspoon water and brush it onto the bottom and sides of the tart shell; set aside to cool.
• Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, cream, zest, and salt. Add the blueberries to the cooled tart shell and pour the filling over the blueberries. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The curd should jiggle slightly when done. Cool to room temperature, remove from the tart ring, and serve.

RICK STEIN'S FRENCH RASPBERRY TART

Steps:

• For the pastry, mix the butter and sugar in a bowl, then add the egg yolks to make a smooth paste. Add the flour and mix to bring the dough together in a ball. Wrap it in cling film and chill for up to 20-30 minutes until firm enough to roll. For the crème patissière, bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla pod and seeds, then remove the pan from the heat. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and both flours in a bowl to form a paste. Gradually add the warm milk to the egg and flour paste, removing the vanilla pod, and stir well until you have a smooth custard. Rinse out the milk pan and pour in the custard mixture. Bring it to the boil over a medium heat and stir continuously, until the custard is really thick. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover the surface of the crème patissière with cling film or greaseproof paper, then set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C. Roll out the pastry and use it to line a loose-bottomed 25cm tart tin or 8 individual 10cm loose-bottomed tart tins. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and add baking beans, then bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and put the pastry back in the oven for another 4-5 minutes to finish cooking. Set aside to cool. Carefully remove the pastry from the tin or tins and fill with the chilled crème patissière. Smooth the top with a damp palette knife. Arrange the raspberries on top in concentric circles. Warm the redcurrant jelly in a pan with a tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, generously paint the raspberries with the warm jelly, then leave to set. Serve with whipped cream.