Karen’s Raspberry Tarts with Ricotta Pastry Cream – Gluten Free
Aug 06, 2015, Updated Feb 21, 2025
Irresistible Flavors of Summer – a Crispy, Buttery Crust, Velvety Smooth Ricotta Custard and topped with Market-Fresh Berries
Luscious, just picked raspberries were the highlight at this weeks farmers’ market:
And the centerpiece of this recipe. Local raspberries tend to be a little smaller and sweeter than the imported variety in the supermarket. I’ve made a buttery crust with a little cream cheese to make this Gluten-Free Crust taste like the traditional kind – you will never know it’s Gluten-Free!
The Perfect Gluten Free Tart Crust:
The dough comes together quickly – I mix by hand with a pastry blender – a food processor, I feel, is harder to control. Your favorite Gluten- Free All Purpose Flour will work nicely, “cut in” the butter and cream cheese (leaving them in large bits), then fold in a beaten egg. Bring together with a fork, then your hands. Portion the dough into four pieces, roll and simply pat into the 4 3/4″ false bottomed tart pans. Prick with a fork and bake until very golden.
The Ultimate Pastry Cream:
The Pastry Cream is glossy and creamy. A Custard with whole milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla – gets whisked on the stove top, and is enriched with Fresh Ricotta Cheese.
Fresh ricotta cheese is preferable – much lighter and naturally tastier than commercial types. This recipe has less sugar than most dessert tarts, I simply feel it’s ample enough with out being cloyingly sweet. A small amount of gluten-free flour thickens the custard, although you can use regular flour in both of the recipes if you desire a classic version.
I’m Loving Raspberries…
Well, this is a Raspberry tart…
Yet you can use any fruit you fancy for the tarts, sliced ripe mango, banana sliced with toasted coconut, fresh figs…. your imagination and taste preferences; what’s available at the market will dictate.
I love sugar plums, and they are available usually in late summer. What a show-off shade of magenta color underneath their petite, slightly sour exteriors! Slice them over the pastry cream, or mix and match with fresh berries. Golden Raspberries are delicious too!
How to make ahead of time:
The tart shells and ricotta pastry cream can be made a head of time – fill when your guests arrive, or when you are ready to experience a summer berry-liscious treat!
Enjoy these special tarts!
Karen
Karen’s Raspberry Tart with Ricotta Pastry Cream – Gluten Free
Equipment
- 4 4 3/4" tart pans with removable bottoms
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk, preferrably organic
- 2 large large egg yolks, I use pasture raised
- 2 1/2 tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons natural cane sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh ricotta cheese*, fresh is preferred
- 2 cups fresh raspberries , may use more or less
Instructions
- In a non-reactive medium sized pot, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks with the flour and sugar in a small bowl for one minute, until light in color.
- When milk boils, slowly add half of the milk into the egg mixture, whisking to combine. Then pour the egg mixture into the leftover milk in the pot and whisk all well. Raise the heat to medium-high, and whisk the pastry cream consistently as it boils. Will thicken quickly. Whisk for a total of 30 seconds, then remove from heat.
- Cover the pan, and let cool slightly for 10 minutes. Add the ricotta cheese, combining well with the whisk until smooth. Place in an airtight glass container, cover with plastic wrap, pressing down onto the pastry cream. When no longer hot, refrigerate until cold.
- Pastry cream is best used within 2 days.
- Fill the tart shells only up to 2 hours before eating to insure a crisp shell.
- * If the ricotta cheese seems very wet (watery), drain it in a fine mesh sieve.
To Finish the Raspberry Tarts:
- Remove tart shells from their rings. Fill each tart shell with a portion of Ricotta Pastry Cream, smooth the tops. Top the four tarts with 1/2 pint of raspberries (or more if desired). Dust with confectioner's sugar. Use other fruits if desired. Assemble before serving, or up to two hours prior (so the shells stay crispy.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Karen’s Gluten-Free Buttery Tart Dough
Equipment
- 1 pastry blender
- 4 4" – 4 3/4" tart molds (removable bottoms) or tart rings
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons natural cane sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, preferably organic
- 3 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 1 large egg, whisked in a small bowl, I use pasture raised
- 2 teaspoons filtered water
Instructions
- For this recipe use 4, 4 3/4" tart pans.
- Place the flour, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Cut the cold butter and cream cheese into tablespoon chunks, add to bowl. Use a pastry blender cut the butter and cream cheese into large bits, about 1/4". Do not overwork. Add the water to the whisked egg, blend into the bowl – mixing with a fork until it almost comes together. Veins of butter and cream cheese in the dough produce a flakier crust, do not overwork.. Quickly use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball.
- Place on a floured work surface, cut the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll each gently with your hands into a ball. Place one ball on a lightly floured large sheet of waxed paper, cover with another sheet of waxed paper and quickly roll to 1/4 " thick – about a 6" circle. Repeat with the remaining 3 dough balls. Pat each dough circle evenly into the tart shells, making a nice edge. Place them on a rimmed baking tray, refrigerate for about an hour until the dough is cold – this step insures a flaky crust. (If dough seems too soft (warm kitchen) – refrigerate them on a tray in the refrigerator until firm.
Bake the Tart Shells:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prick the dough a bit with tines of a fork and bake until very golden, about 15 minutes. Do not under-bake. Cool completely before filling.
Filling the Shells / To Finish the Raspberry Tarts:
- To Finish the Raspberry Tarts: Remove tart shells from their rings. Fill each tart shell with a portion of Ricotta Pastry Cream, smooth the tops. Top the four tarts with raspberries. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Use other fruits if desired. Assemble before serving, or up to two hours prior (so the shells say crispy.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
