In the previous month, Ruth Reichl, an exceptional food writer and the final editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine before its closure, has compiled a list of her top 10 favorite recipes during her time with the magazine for Epicurious. I have never clicked on a link so quickly as I did for this. I adored the magazine and during my early years, it played a significant role in helping me clarify my preferences in cooking. Although I have tried many of their recipes, I have yet to try any of these. One recipe that stood out to me was Ruth Cousineau’s raspberry crumble tart featured in August of 2006, only a few weeks before I launched SK. Reichl wrote:
Since the very first bite of this tart, I have been certain that I would make it over and over again. The recipe’s simplicity is what really makes it shine, allowing the flavor of the fruit to be the star. Its appearance is also stunning, with a burst of vivid color peeking out from beneath a rustic top. And perhaps most importantly, even the blandest supermarket raspberries can be transformed into a burst of flavorful goodness by the heat of the oven.
I’ve made this recipe three times this week, thanks to the sale of insipid berries in my store. The best part about this recipe is that it requires only seven ingredients, with two being salt and water that don’t really count. The remaining five ingredients – flour, butter, sugar, almonds, and fresh raspberries – are very basic. Unlike other recipes, there is no sugar or thickener needed for the berries, and there is no need to macerate them, resulting in a non-runny filling that won’t make the bottom crust soggy. You only need to make a simple butter-flour mixture, divide it in half, and form one half into a pie crust. No need to parbake it, just fill it with fresh raspberries and top it with a loose, sugary crumble made from the remaining half of the butter-flour mixture. The crumble bakes onto and into the berries, even mingling with any juices that are released, creating a crispy and deliciously shaggy dessert.
It’s easy to understand why Ruth Reichl is so fond of it. The taste is sophisticated, not messy, neither too heavy nor overly sour (ripe berries are recommended as they’re sweeter). The recipe pays homage to raspberries in a simple way that prompted me to make it twice again, one of which was a larger slab pie version. Although I’m uncertain about our weekend plans, I’m sure the pie will be present.
Rewritten:
One year ago: Ice Cream Cake Roll
Two years ago: Strawberry Graham Icebox Cake and Broccoli Rubble Farro Salad
Three years ago: Almond-Rhubarb Picnic Bars
Four years ago: Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake, Fake Shack Burger, and Swirled Berry Yogurt Popsicles
Five years ago: Tahini Carrot Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Six years ago: Greek Lemon and Oregano Salad and Two Classic Sangrias
Seven years ago: Wild Rice Vidalia Onion Soup and Tzatziki Potato Salad
Eight years ago: Cobb Salad with a Twist, Lime Yogurt Cake with Fresh Blackberry Sauce and Blue Cheese Scallion Biscuits
Nine years ago: Lemon Asparagus Pasta with Goat Cheese and Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
Ten years ago: Martha’s Mac-and-Cheese and Crispy Salted White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Eleven years ago: Upside-Down Cherry Cornmeal Cake
Twelve years ago: Homemade Oreo Cookies and Roast Pork Salad with Cellophane Noodles
And for the other half of the globe:
Six months ago: “Lasagna” made with cabbage and mushrooms
1.5 years ago: Shortbread made with salted butter and chocolate chunks
2.5 years ago: A slab pie with marbled cheesecake and pumpkin, as well as a salad made with Brussels sprouts, apples, and pomegranate.
Date, Feta, and Red Cabbage Salad and Pecan Pie were served 3.5 years ago, while Classic Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline Sauce and Crispy Sweet Potato Roast were served 4.5 years ago. Additionally, Raspberry Crumble Tart Bars make 16 squares and take 30 minutes active time plus 2 1/2 hours of resting and baking time. This recipe is adapted from Gourmet, August 2006.
I have made several changes to the recipe. If you prefer the original recipe, I suggest you stop reading now. The original recipe requires an unusual tart pan size of 11 1/4 by 8 inches. However, to make it more accessible, you can use a 10-inch round pan instead. I have decided to turn the tart into bars because it is more convenient for picnics and potlucks. Below, I’m sharing a recipe for an 8×8-inch pan, which can also be served in wedges using a 9-inch round pan. Additionally, I have added a scaled-up recipe at the end for 9×13-inch slab tart bars. Although it may be a little tedious to make 1-inch tart-height walls in a taller cake pan, the recipe is forgiving and easy to follow. Many people believe that not parbaking the bottom crust will result in a soggy tart, but all of mine turned out crispy and delicious. This is thanks to the light and non-soggy filling which becomes even more crisp when cooled before cutting.
If you have a problem with nuts, you have the option to exclude them. Alternatively, I suggest substituting them with an equal amount of coarsely chopped toasted coconut flakes.
Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces or 65 grams) whole toasted almonds
– 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (245 grams) all-purpose flour
– 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
– 3/4 cup (6 ounces, 12 tablespoons, or 170 grams) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
– 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water, plus an additional tablespoon, if needed
– 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (115 grams) granulated sugar
– 3 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries (510 grams, 18 ounces, or about 4.5 cups)
Make Bars Without a Machine: Begin by roughly chopping the almonds and setting them aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, stirring them together. Add the cubes of butter to the flour mixture and toss them until they’re coated. Then, use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the pieces are no larger than small peas. A pastry blender can also be used to achieve this.
Using a food processor, prepare the bars by pulsing coarsely chopped almonds until they are properly processed. Keep it aside and gently clean the workbowl from any remaining crumbs. Combine flour and salt and pulse it. Add butter and pulse the machine intermittently until the largest butter bits become the size of small peas.
Divide the mixture of butter and flour evenly into two bowls, with each bowl containing 1 1/2 cups of crumbs. Pour cold water over the first bowl and use a spoon or spatula to mix it until it turns into shaggy clumps, then use your hands to quickly and gently knead it into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, shaping it into a flat packet. Refrigerate the dough for one hour, or until it becomes firm.
Mix sugar and chopped almonds into the second bowl of butter and flour mixture. Use your fingertips to combine them by breaking apart the butter until you form a loosely clumped streusel. Set it aside. You may refrigerate both the streusel and dough for up to 3 days before baking as needed.
Instructions for assembling your bars: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a cake pan measuring 8×8 inches with nonstick spray and line the bottom and two sides with a piece of parchment paper that fits snugly. If you are using a round tart pan measuring 9-9.5 inches, there is no need to line the bottom with parchment paper if there is a removable base.
On a floured surface, remove the dough from its packaging and sprinkle the top generously with flour. Roll out the dough to form a square measuring 10×10 inches (or 13 inches in diameter for a round pan). Fold it gently into quarters and unfold it into the prepared pan, ensuring that the dough is centered as much as possible. Press it onto the bottom of the pan and up 1 inch on the sides, folding over any excess dough and pressing it against the sides to strengthen the edges. Don’t worry if it appears untidy – mine certainly did. The only thing to avoid is any holes or tears; simply patch them up if there are any.
Spread berries evenly on top of the crust and generously sprinkle crumble topping over them. The amount may seem excessive, but it will bake perfectly.
Bake the bars for 40 to 50 minutes, covering with foil if it starts to brown before fully cooked. The bars are ready when they turn golden brown and the berry juices bubble through the crumbs. Cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack and then use the parchment sling to transfer the bars out of the pan. Let cool completely on the rack. If using a removable tart pan, remove the sides now.
To serve, dust powdered sugar on top, if desired, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares (or wedges, if using a round pan). The bars can be stored for up to 5 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator, lightly covered.
For a 9×13 quarter-sheet pan, the recipe calls for:
– 1 cup (4 1/2 ounces or 130 grams) of whole almonds
– 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (415 grams) of all-purpose flour
– 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
– 1 1/3 cups (21 tablespoons, 10.5 ounces, or 300 grams) of cold, unsalted butter
– 1/3 cup (80 ml) of cold water
– 1 cup (200 grams) of granulated sugar
– 5 1/2 to 6-ounce containers of fresh raspberries (905 grams, 32 ounces, or 8 cups)
Instructions for a 9×13 quarter-sheet pan: To divide the crumbs in half, each half will contain approximately 2 2/3 cups of butter-flour mixture. Prepare the pan by lining it with a rectangle of parchment paper. Roll out the crust to 13×17 inches and follow the instructions as previously mentioned. The baking time may be extended by approximately 10 minutes, but monitor the crust and cover it with foil if it turns too brown too quickly. Allow the crust to cool completely in the pan.
