Raspberry-Marzipan Custard Tart
Today, I’m going to share with you a dessert recipe that’s so simple and easy, you can make it with a blindfold on, it is a beautiful tart loaded with marzipan, a set raspberry jam, and a silky custard for a delicious blend of fruity, nutty, and creamy. This pie is roughly inspired by the British Bakewell tart, or almond and raspberry tart, but with a bit of a personal twist.
The idea here is I’m going to roll some marzipan into a disc and lay that onto my crust before baking, the marzipan roasting a bit in the oven for additional flavor but also acting as a moisture barrier between the crust and the jam, thereby preventing what any fan of The Great British Bake Off would know as a soggy bottom.
This kind of tart is great for…oh, who am I kidding? There is no bad time to have a delicious tart or pie.
Serves 8
For the Crust:
(Hey, if you want to use a sheet of refrigerated pie crust, that’s fine by me.)
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tbsp cold water
An 8-ounce tube of marzipan
For the Raspberry Jam:
(Store bought jam is fine as well. In that case, you’ll need 1/2 a cup)
3 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin or 3 gelatin sheets
2 cups fresh raspberries (set 8 raspberries aside for garnish)
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
For the custard
5tsp unflavored powdered gelatin or 5 gelatin sheets
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
A pinch of salt
For topping:
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Make the crust. Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Add the melted butter and water, and stir until you get a soft, crumbly dough.
Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, then use the sides of the wrap to help bring all the dough crumbs together. Fully wrap the dough, form into a disc, then place into the fridge for at least an hour, or until the dough is nice and firm.
While the dough relaxes, take the marzipan out of it’s tube and lay onto a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment. Use a rolling pin to roll the marzipan out into a thin, 8-inch wide circle (The bottom of your tart shell should help you here). Transfer to the fridge and chill until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch wide round, but don’t worry if it’s not a perfect shape. Transfer the dough to an 8-inch loose-bottomed tart shell, lifting the sides and pushing gently to help make sure the bottom and sides of the shell are coated. If the dough breaks apart a bit or doesn’t line the shell, then just patch it up with more dough until it looks nicer. Trim away the excess dough with a paring knife, leaving a bit at the top.
Grab your disc of marzipan and lay that onto the bottom of the dough, then chill for 10 more minutes. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, or until browned on the edges and the marzipan turns golden brown. Once baked, allow the crust to cool completely.
(Omit the next three steps if using store bought jam)
While the crust bakes, make the jam by first placing the gelatin powder into a small bowl with about a tablespoon of water. Stir to dissolve and leave it to activate the gelatin.
Dump the raspberries into a small saucepan and use a fork to crush them up. Add the sugar and lemon juice, then heat over medium and cook for about 10 minutes until the berries have fallen apart and the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Stir in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved, then transfer the jam to a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool at room temperature.
Make the custard. Bloom the gelatin the same way as you did for the jam, but use a bit more water.
Heat the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan until the milk is steaming but certainly not boiling. While the milk warms up, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth.
Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the eggs, whisking to combine, then pour everything back into the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens by a lot. Once cooked, add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until dissolved and combined.
Immediately strain and transfer to a medium bowl, cover directly with plastic wrap, then leave to cool on the counter.
When everything has cooled, spread the raspberry jam into an even layer onto the marzipan-lined crust, then move to the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes, or until the jam has set.
Gently pour the custard on top of the jam and spread into an even layer. Place the 8 raspberries you reserved along the outside of the tart and sprinkle some sliced almonds on top before moving the whole thing into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes, or until the custard is set.
When ready to serve, top your beautiful tart with a dusting of powdered sugar before slicing and enjoying!
