 | Raspberry-Cassis TartChef Michael Zebrowski of The Culinary Institute of America | Hyde Park, NY |
I developed this recipe to highlight the flavor combination of raspberry and cassis. I have the opportunity to use The Perfect Purée line of purees in my role as an Associate Professor at The Culinary Institute of America and find them to be excellent in both flavor and versatility of application. In this composed tart, I utilize both raspberry and cassis purées in three different ways—mousse, cake, and jam—which reinforce not only the delicious flavors of the purées but also the natural, beautiful color tones of the fruits. I have fond memories of these flavors, as my grandmother used to grow both raspberries and cassis in her garden to make jams, syrups, and blintzes with them. I hope this recipe showcases a creative and contemporary way of utilizing these wonderful fruit purées.
Ingredients for Pâte Sucrée:
• 226 g. unsalted butter, softened
• 146 g. confectioners’ sugar
• 85 g. almond flour
• 4 g. fine salt
• 95 g. whole eggs (about 2)
• 396 g. all-purpose flour
Ingredients for Raspberry–Cassis Jam:
• 400 g. raspberries
• 200 g. The Perfect Purée Black Currant Puree, thawed
• 400 g. sugar
• 4 g. pectin NH
• 4 g. lemon juice
Ingredients for Raspberry–Cassis Almond Biscuit:
• 100 g. almond flour
• 100 g. confectioners’ sugar
• 25 g. all-purpose flour
• 100 g. egg whites (about 3)
• 75 g. granulated sugar
Ingredients for Raspberry–Cassis Mousse:
• 250 g. raspberry puree
• 100 g. The Perfect Purée Black Currant Puree, thawed
• 100 g. sugar
• 6 g. gelatin sheets
• 200 g. heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Ingredients for Plum-Colored Meringues:
• 120 g. egg whites
• 240 g. sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• purple or plum gel coloring, as desired
Ingredients for Mirror Glaze:
• 12 g. gelatin sheets
• 150 g. water
• 300 g. sugar
• 300 g. glucose syrup
• 200 g. sweetened condensed milk
• 300 g. white chocolate, chopped
• coloring, as desired
Ingredients for Jasmine Tea Crémeux:
• 3 gelatin sheets
• 225 g. whole milk
• 225 g. heavy cream
• 12 g. jasmine tea
• 100 g. granulated sugar
• 100 g. egg yolks
Ingredients for Honey–Mascarpone Whipped Ganache:
• 3 g. gelatin sheets
• 366 g. heavy cream
• 82 g. white chocolate
• 30 g. honey
• 150 g. mascarpone
To Assemble and Serve:
• gold leaf
Method for Pâte Sucrée:
Cream butter, confectioners’ sugar, almond flour, and salt together until smooth. Add eggs and mix just until combined. Add flour and mix briefly until dough forms. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill overnight. Roll to 2–3 millimeters thickness, line 3-inch tart rings, and freeze before baking. Blind-bake at 325°F until golden brown.
Method for Raspberry–Cassis Jam:
Warm fruit purées to 40°C. Mix sugar and pectin, then whisk into purées. Bring to a boil and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add lemon juice, remove from heat, and strain if needed. Chill completely before use.
Method for Raspberry–Cassis Almond Biscuit:
Whip egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding granulated sugar to form a glossy meringue. Fold in almond flour, confectioners’ sugar, and all-purpose flour until just combined. Spread evenly on a parchment-lined tray and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until golden. Cool and cut into 1.5-inch circles.
Method for Raspberry–Cassis Mousse:
Bloom gelatin in cold water. Heat purées and sugar until warm; remove from heat and dissolve gelatin. Cool to 30°C, then fold in whipped cream in two additions. Deposit into molds and freeze.
Method for Plum-Colored Meringues:
Whip egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and continue whipping to stiff peaks. Tint with plum gel color. Pipe with a #802 (¼-inch) round tip onto parchment and bake at 200°F for 1½–2 hours until completely dry. Cool and store airtight.
Method for Mirror Glaze:
Bloom gelatin in ice water. Bring water, sugar, and glucose to a boil; remove from heat and add condensed milk and gelatin. Pour over white chocolate and blend until smooth. Add color, strain, and use at 95°F (35°C) over frozen mousse domes.
Method for Jasmine Tea Crémeux:
Bloom gelatin in ice water. Bring milk and cream to a boil, remove from heat, and steep jasmine tea for 15 minutes. Strain and rescale to 450 grams. Bring infused milk and half the sugar to a boil. Whisk remaining sugar with yolks, temper with hot milk, and return to pot. Cook to 185°F (85°C), strain over gelatin, and whisk to dissolve. Cool over ice bath, then deposit into 1.5-inch demi-sphere molds and freeze.
Method for Honey–Mascarpone Whipped Ganache:
Bloom gelatin in ice water. Bring cream to a boil, remove from heat, and whisk in gelatin. Pour over white chocolate and honey; emulsify. Add mascarpone and blend until smooth. Cool to 45°F, then refrigerate overnight. Whip before using.
To Assemble and Serve:
Pipe a thin layer of Raspberry–Cassis Jam on the bottom of each tart shell. Place a cut Almond Biscuit circle in the center and fill the negative spaces with Honey–Mascarpone Whipped Ganache. Level flat with an offset spatula. Unmold frozen Jasmine Tea Crémeux and place inside Raspberry–Cassis Mousse molds. Pipe mousse two-thirds of the way, insert the frozen crémeux, top with more mousse, and level flat. Freeze overnight. Once fully set, unmold and glaze with Mirror Glaze at 80°F (27°C). Place each glazed dome on a filled tart shell. Arrange Plum-Colored Meringues around the edge of the dome, and finish with a small piece of gold leaf in the center.