Strawberry and Raspberry Tart with Mint

While I hate the indiscriminate use of mint leaves as a decoration for desserts in general, the flavor of mint in moderation is wonderful with berries. Right before serving this tart, I like to scatter tiny mint leaves on it, then lightly dust it with confectioners’ sugar. If you only have large mint leaves, then stack them and cut them into fine ribbons. (Note: The 9-inch square pan in the photo has approximately the same volume as a 10-inch round pan.)

Makes one 10-inch tart, 8 to 10 servings

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One blind-baked 10-inch tart crust made with Sweet Pastry Dough spread with Almond Biscuit Batter (see below)

PASTRY CREAM

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar, divided use

3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pint tiny height-of-season strawberries, rinsed and hulled

2 half-pint baskets fresh raspberries, picked over but not washed

3 tablespoons tiny mint leaves or larger leaves stacked and cut into thin ribbons

Confectioners’ sugar for finishing

1. For the pastry cream, combine the milk, cream, and half of the sugar in a small saucepan and whisk. Place the pan over low heat and bring it to a full boil. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the yolks and then whisk in the remaining sugar. Sift the flour over the yolk mixture and whisk it in.
2. When the milk mixture boils, whisk it into the yolk mixture. Strain it back into the pan and place it over medium heat. Use a small, pointed-end whisk to stir constantly, being sure to reach into the corners of the pan, until the cream comes to a full boil and thickens. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
3. Scrape the cream into a glass or stainless-steel bowl and press plastic wrap directly against the surface. Chill it thoroughly.
4. No more than 4 hours before you intend to serve the tart, unmold the cooled, baked tart crust and slide it onto a platter. Spread the cold pastry cream into the crust.
5. Randomly scatter the strawberries and raspberries on the pastry cream or arrange in concentric rings, gently pressing them so they adhere, and covering the cream completely.
6. Immediately before serving, sprinkle the tart with the mint leaves, followed by a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

SWEET PASTRY DOUGH

Makes enough for 2 single-crusted pies or 1 double-crusted pie

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon into dry-measure cup and level)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

8 tablespoons/1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 12 pieces

2 large eggs

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse several times at 1-second intervals to mix.
2. Add the butter cubes and pulse again until the butter is finely mixed throughout the dry ingredients and no visible pieces of butter remain.
3. Use a fork to beat the eggs enough to break them up, and add them to the bowl. Pulse again until the dough almost forms a ball; avoid pulsing too much or the dough might become too soft.
4. Invert the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead it together 3 or 4 times to make it smooth.
5. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, form them into disks, and wrap each one in plastic. Chill the dough for a couple of hours before rolling.
6. Before rolling the dough, place it on a floured surface and gently knead until smooth and malleable. Form into a disk again before beginning to roll.

ALMOND BISCUIT BATTER

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/ cup ground almonds

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 10-inch tart crust using Sweet Pastry Dough (see above)

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Whisk the flour and sugar together in a medium bowl; add the egg and whisk smooth.
3. Whisk in the salt and vanilla, then use a small rubber spatula to fold in the nuts and butter.
4. Spread the nut biscuit batter into the unbaked crust. Place the crust with the batter in the oven and decrease immediately to 350˚F. Bake the crust until it is completely cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.