just because … Raspberry Speculoos Frangipane Tart

One of the things that bugs me the most about food blogs is every recipe has to have a long narrative, a story about how the thing was made, what it means to the author, what emotions it invokes in random eaters, praise from spouses and coworkers. Hey, I get it. I do it too but only when the story is actually there. The fact is there’s not always a great story worth telling so why force it? Most of the time I make things for no particular reason. It might be because I have extra ingredients laying around that need to be used and – surprise! – that thing is pretty good and worth sharing. The story isn’t very interesting when it’s just something I threw together or something I’ve been making for so long I don’t remember it’s origin. I try to write funny, entertaining posts but sometimes it just is what it is.

Which is the case today. No great history behind this one; I was simply wondering if I could throw some speculoos type spices into a frangipane tart and if it would be delicious. I did and it was. Simple as that. Sure, I put a lot of thought into it but I made it once and I liked it. Done.

I was pretty happy. Happy until I had a conversation with a pastry chef friend. As I described this delicious thing I made, she asked a very valid question: “Except for the jam versus fruit thing, how is this different from a Linzer Torte?” Well, it is fairly similar in concept – spiced dough/batter and raspberries in a tart – but very different in execution. Rather than encase a raspberry jam between two layers of nutty spiced dough, fresh raspberries are pushed into a spiced almond batter. The first bakes up to a cookie or pastry like texture, the latter is more of a moist cake in a tart crust. Conceptually similar, texturally different. She agreed and that’s about as much of a story I’ve got on this one.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: NICE. It’s nice when things turn out and this idea turned out beautifully. Rich and buttery with a delightedly spiced filling punctuated with a tart berry here and there, it’s perfect. Had I the time, I would have curled up with a hot cup of tea and a slice, or two. This is one of those recipes that have a bigger pay off than the effort involved. Bake this for your mom; Mother’s Day is coming up you know.

Seven years ago: Brown Butter Banana Bread
Six years ago: Peanut Butter Bars
Five years ago: Sticky Bun Bread, Peterson Garden Project Round 2
Four years ago: Strawberries in Hibiscus Syrup, Pickled Ramps
Three years ago: Lemon Loaf Cake
Two years ago: Guinness Crème Anglaise
Last year: Flourless Chocolate Cookies

RASPBERRY SPECULOOS FRANGIPANE TART
Serves 6-8 – makes one 9” tart

for the tart dough:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ½ Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in ½” pieces
1 Tablespoon cold water
1 large egg yolk

for the speculoos frangipane filling:
½ pound almond paste, room temperature
2 Tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/16 teaspoon ground white pepper (a few good pinches)
1/16 teaspoon ground coriander (a few good pinches)
1/16 teaspoon ground anise (a few good pinches)
1/16 teaspoon grated nutmeg (a few good pinches)
1 pint fresh raspberries
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
powdered sugar for garnish

1. For the tart dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt.
2. Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat.
3. Using your thumb and first two fingers, rub the butter and flour until the mixture is the size of small peas.
4. In a small bowl, combine the yolk and the cold water.
5. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the yolk/water mixture and begin to combine.
6. Gently knead the mixture together making sure to work in all the dry bits of flour. (Note: of course you can do all this in your food processor with a few pulses. But where’s the fun in that?)
7. Pat into a flat round disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least ½ hour. Will keep in the fridge for 2 days or frozen up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
8. Roll the tart dough: On a lightly floured surface, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and roll – from the center out – to an 11” circle.
9. Roll dough up on rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9” tart pan with removable bottom.
10. Carefully ease the dough into the fluted edges and pinch or roll off excess. Reinforce the sides with excess dough where needed.
11. Chill or freeze 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F and place a rack in the lower third of the oven.
12. For the speculoos frangipane filling: In a small bowl combine the flour and all the spices; set aside until needed.
13. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, break up the almond paste on low speed.
14. With the mixture on low, add the sugar and salt in a slow steady stream and mix until sandy and there are no visible big chunks of almond paste.
15. Add the softened butter, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and creamy.
16. Scrape the bowl.
17. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl in between.
18. On low, add the flour/spice mixture and mix until well blended.
19. Assemble the tart: Spread the frangipane evenly over the bottom of the chilled tart shell.
20. Carefully press the raspberries into the frangipane, point side up.
21. Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the top.
22. Bake for 25-30 minutes until frangipane and the edges of the tart shell are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
23. Dust the tart with powdered sugar just before serving. The tart is best the day it’s made but will keep for at least 2-3 days, tightly wrapped at room temperature.