A Tart for All Seasons, For All Reasons: The Raspberry-Cherry Crumble Top Tart

 

There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about the therapeutic aspects of baking.  This has always been true for me.

Often, I can feel compelled to bake something at varying times of the day.  It is such a soothing and “fruitful” endeavor. I always like to have something in my covered cake dish.  It just warms my soul.

While I usually am motivated to bake in the morning, I threw this together the other evening as I was making dinner.  It doesn’t take long and it is as good for breakfast as it is for dessert.

This tart is really a combination of three recipes.  I like to experiment with this approach often.  Of course, you can make it with Rhubarb and local Strawberries very soon. And, as the season goes on, you can navigate to Blueberries and fresh stone fruits.  In Winter, use apples, pears, or guavas. Give it a try.  My husband loved it and it will fill up your kitchen with a swoon-y aroma!  The spices in the crust and topping and the sliced almonds in the topping are nice additions and do make a difference.

The Raspberry-Cherry Crumble Top Tart*

Filling:

2 containers fresh raspberries (organic if possible)

1 can tart cherries, packed in water, drained

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp tapioca

juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 blood orange

Crust:  1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 tbsp unsalted butter melted

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Topping:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter room temp

1 cup oatmeal

3/4 cups sliced almonds crushed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

best quality Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Generously butter a 9″ spring form pan and add a round of parchment paper on bottom.  (note: I literally broke the tip off one of my good knives trying to dislodge this cake from the pan, so beware.
2. Mix graham cracker crust ingredients with a fork. Press into bottom of pan, making sure to cover the bottom completely.
3. Mix filling ingredients:  raspberries, cherries, lemon juice, orange juice, tapioca, almond extract and sugar until completely blended.  Filling should not be runny so, adjust juice quantities to make sure it holds together – texture should be almost gel-like.
4. Make topping;  Mix together flour, sugars, oatmeal, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg with a fork.  Add soft butter and mix together with fingers until clumps form.  Make sure it is well blended.
5. Pour filling on top of crust.
6. Crumble topping over all.  Make sure entire top is covered.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until topping is nicely browned and filling is bubbling.
8. Cool 5 minutes in pan and carefully loosen collar.  Leave in place to keep tart from becoming mis-shapen as it cools.
9. When completely cool, cut into wedges and serve with best quality vanilla ice cream.

*crumble top adapted from Ina Garten

So, regardless of what draws you into the kitchen to turn on the oven, experimentation, a stressful day, company for dinner or just plain fun, try this out.  I hope you like it.