Italian Desserts Recipes - Raspberry Marzipan Tart

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Rich Tart Crust

• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

• 1 recipe Pistachio Marzipan

• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut up

• Chopped unsalted pistachios (optional)

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake Rich Tart Crust for 10 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes more or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread jam onto the bottom of the Rich Tart Crust. Spread Pistachio Marzipan evenly over the jam.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and firm when tightly touched. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

4. In a heavy small saucepan cook and stir chocolate over low heat until melted. Spread over marzipan. If desired, garnish with pistachio nuts.

5. Refrigerate tart about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Before serving, remove side of tart pan and transfer tart to a serving platter.

RICH TART CRUST: In a medium bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/2 cup cold butter until pieces are pea-size. In a small bowl stir together 2 beaten egg yolks and 2 tablespoons water. Gradually stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture. Using your fingers, gently knead dough just until a ball forms. If necessary, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle. On a lightly floured surface, slightly flatten dough. Roll from center to edge into a 13-inch circle. Wrap pastry around a r011ing pin and unroll into an II-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or a IO-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Ease pastry into pan, being careful not to stretch it. Press pastry into the fluted side of tart pan or quiche dish; trim edge. (Flute edge for pie plate.) Line pastry shell with a double thickness of foil.

PISTACHIO MARZIPAN: In a food processor or blender combine 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup slivered almonds, and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cover and process or blend about 1 minute or until almonds are finely ground. Add 1/3 cup butter and 1 egg. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Add 1 egg, I teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Add 1/3 cup unsalted pistachio nuts, chopped. Cover and process or blend with several on-off turns until combined.