See you After Labor Day!

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Special Fork is going on hiatus after Friday; we’ll return on Tuesday after Labor Day. Posting a blog a day, Monday through Friday, is ambitious for any site, and all Special Fork bloggers are looking forward to this summer break.

In the meantime, just like on TV, we will be posting “reruns” that you might have missed. Given that we’ve begun our fourth season, we have a large repertoire of good posts to choose from to share with you again.

Since this is my last new post for the summer, I was wondering what recipe to leave you with – I wanted something that would tide you over for the season. And I thought of this Rustic Raspberry Tart, a simple and delicious tart you can make all summer long. This recipe is from my other business, Sandy Hu Food Marketing, and the food marketing communications work I do for Kerrygold butter and cheeses. Kerrygold dairy products are made with milk from grass-fed cows, raised on small family farms in Ireland.

We developed this recipe five or six years ago to send to food media and it has become my client’s and my personal favorite, as one of those quick desserts you can make with a few ingredients and put together easily. And it’s perfect for summer when berries are plentiful.

You just make the dough in a few minutes in a food processor and roll it out (our recipe suggests rolling between sheets of plastic wrap but I use waxed paper because I find the paper easier to handle). Fill with raspberries (or blueberries), sprinkle with a cornstarch-sugar mixture, pleat the crust and bake for about 25 minutes. You can make this dessert from start to finish, in an hour. This is a small tart so if you have a bigger group, make two.

I hope you’re having a wonderful summer. Ben, Lori, Andrew, Marilyn, Dave and I look forward to returning with more 30-minute recipes and cooking tips after Labor Day. In the meantime, please enjoy our re-posts beginning next week.

Rustic Raspberry Tart
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1 large egg yolk (reserve white)
3 to 5 teaspoons ice water
2 cups raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. To make crust: Heat oven to 425° F. In food processor, whirl together flour and salt. Add butter to processor, pulsing just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk and water, 1 teaspoon at a time; process just until dough clumps together and begins to form a ball.
2. Set 2 pieces (each about 12 by 15 inches) plastic wrap on work surface. Lightly dust each with flour. Gather dough and press into a flat disk about 6 inches wide. Set disk in center of 1 piece of wrap. Set remaining plastic wrap, floured-side down on dough. With rolling pin, roll dough evenly into about an 11 to 12 inch round; occasionally turn round over, lift wrinkled plastic wrap, pull smooth and replace; continue rolling as needed.
3. To fill tart: Peel off top sheet of wrap and invert onto 2 by 15 inch baking sheet lined with cooking parchment. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Distribute berries in center of pastry, leaving about a 2-inch border. In small bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons mixture evenly over fruit. Gently fold edges of pastry over berries, pleating edges to fit; leave an opening of 4 to 6 inches wide in center. Brush pastry with reserved egg white from crust. Sprinkle pastry lightly with remaining sugar mixture.
4. Bake tart on the bottom rack of the 425° F oven until crust is golden on bottom and juices bubble, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on pan at least 15 minutes. While still warm, with wide spatula loosen tart from pan especially where juices have leaked out. Transfer to serving platter and serve warm or cool. Cut in wedges. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

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