Raspberry Almond Truffle Tart

-FILLING AND FINISH-
1 1/2 c Red current jelly
2 ts Sugar
2/3 c Heavy cream
6 oz Good quality bittersweet or
-semisweet; chopped
; chocolate
2 tb Unsalted butter
2 ct Fresh red raspberries
Bittersweet chocolate
-shavings
Powdered sugar for dusting

Special equipment: Food Processor 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable
bottom

Prepare the crust: In processor bowl, combine almonds, sugar, vanilla and
almond extracts. Proceed until very fine. Add the flour and salt; pulse
unit well mixed. Cut butter into 10 to 12 pieces and distribute over flour
mixture. Process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle in water and
pulse until mixture starts to form a dough. Turn out onto a sheet of
plastic wrap and push together into a flat patty. Refrigerate 30 minutes or
until firm enough to roll.

Roll dough, between two pieces of plastic wrap, into a circle about 11
inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Peel off top sheet of plastic. Use
bottom sheet to lift pastry and invert it into tart pan. Line pan as much
as possible using the plastic still attached to pastry, as an aid, easing
dough into corners without stretching. Peel plastic from dough. If dough is
too soft and plastic won’t peel, place in freezer of refrigerator for a few
minutes before peeling. Pinch dough off at upper rim of pan. Patch the
dough as needed with pinched off bits of dough. Reinforce sides, strengthen
corners and neaten up rim of crust, making everything as even as possible.
Chill at least one hour.

Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees. Prick bottom
of pastry shell all over with a fork. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden
brown Check after 6 to 8 minutes; if bottom has puffed up, prick again with
a fork or skewer to deflate. While still hot, press the bottom of the pan
gently just enough to release the edges of the crust from the pan. Leave
crust in pan. Cool on a rack. Cool completely before filling.

Make the filling: Simmer jelly with sugar 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
Brush bottom of cooled pastry shell with just enough hot jelly to coat
thinly, reserving the rest.

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Place chopped chocolate and
butter, cut into small pieces, in a medium sized bowl. Pour hot cream over
chocolate. Let stand one minute. Stir gently without whisking or beating
until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Do not reheat; if
chocolate is not completely melted, set the mixture aside for a few minutes
then stir again. Pour mixture into tart shell. Refrigerate until firm.
Arrange berries over chocolate, starting around the edge and working toward
the center, leaving a tiny bit of space between each berry so that some
chocolate is visible. Reheat the red currant jelly and dab each berry
lightly to give it a little shine–do not overdo–no need to use up all of
the jelly.

Remove tart rim and place tart on serving dish. Decorate the edge or center
of the tart with chocolate shavings. Refrigerate tart until 30-60 minutes
before serving. To serve, us a very fine sieve or tea strainer to dust
powdered sugar over berries and shavings, like a very light snowfall.

To make chocolate shavings: Scrape a sharp knife blade across the flat side
of a bar of bittersweet chocolate. The shavings will be very fine and very
fragile; do not touch them with your fingers or they will melt! Transfer
shavings on the knife blade.

Busted and entered for you by: Bill Webster

CHEF DU JOUR ALICE MEDRICH SHOW #DJ9153