Fresh berry tart with puff pastry

And puff pastry tartlets with raspberries and pistachios

Published originally on my blog on 22 April 2013

Every year, when the first berries of the season make their appearance at the market, I go overboard. I can’t help but buying more than S and I can eat.
I’m dazzled by their color and aroma, and enjoying them just as they are, in all their freshness, dripping with sweet juices, is the ideal for me. Getting the full flavor of each one, flavors that I have missed for so long, is a pleasurable experience and it marks the official arrival of spring.

These past couple of weeks, I made a tart with raspberries and blackberry tiny cakes. I also made my favorite blueberry muffins and then, after my last trip to the market when I came home with a bagful of berries, I decided to go all out and make a fresh berry puff pastry tart.

I thawed the homemade puff pastry I had sitting in the freezer, sprinkled it with caster sugar and baked it until it was all golden and puffed up. I whipped up some mascarpone with vanilla seeds and slathered it on top of the crispy pastry. I gathered my fruits, arranged them neatly over the cream and finally, I sprinkled the whole lot with icing sugar.

It was a delight. Buttery, fresh, indulgent yet clean, juicy and creamy all at the same time. Buttery crispiness from the puff pastry, creamy aromatic mascarpone, supple fresh fruits with textures and colors filling my mouth.

Sweet but not overly so, with the sweet and tart flavor of the fruits; strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, redcurrants. All glistening and oh so tempting.

But I didn’t stop there, I had some extra puff pastry and raspberries, and thought of making some cute little tartlets, no more than three-bites each. I topped the small puff pastry circles with mascarpone, raspberries and some finely chopped pistachios—what a combination—and that added crunchy texture of the nuts was simply wonderful.

Spring is finally here!

Fresh Berry Tart with Puff Pastry

I used homemade French puff pastry but you can certainly use store-bought, just make sure it’s made with butter. Whichever kind of puff pastry you use, make sure to thaw it properly. Remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge 24 hours before using it.