Mixed-berries dessert tart (crostata)

Due to the abundant sunlight, you'll see most people in Barcelona wear sunglasses, and every two of their sunglasses you'll see one flashing a huge logo of dual-C, D&G or EA's eagle. Very assertive and desperate in telling you that he/she is ......... (feel free to fill in the blank). There is absolutely no judgement from me, only my interest in observing pop culture.

Amongst the fruits, seems to me, any dessert tagging with berries will create this perception - it is more European, and more luxurious (as being seasonal, and not worldwide, so sometimes to be pricey). But in this crostata, berries are also practical: you don't need to struggle as what you do with sliced apple or plum, simply run the knife between the tiny berries, it will easily cut through the luscious vanilla cream, then down to the fragrant (and fragile too) almond-ey crust.

This crostata's crust is actually not that difficult to make, but I have already assumed that you're an experienced pie maker. The flour is mainly hold up by the moisture that from butter, beside of a bit liquid from egg yolk. The dough easily comes together, and also quite easy to break, but it is not the end, just to invite two handling methods: rolling method plus patch-work. Just hope what I said here is able to help you to predict what will happen while you working on this dough.

Recipe (yield two x 7"-or 18cm-dia round pie, or ten x 2.5" or 6cm single-serving tarts)

*removable pie/tart pan is necessary*

For the crust

• 200 g plain flour
• 20 g ground almond
• a pinch of salt
• 70 g vanilla sugar
• lemon zest from half of lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 120g butter, cubed (cold but not hard)

For cream filling:

This time I used the store-bought, but you may like to see Bea's recipe

For toppings:

Seasonal fruit, preferably various types of berries. Plus some powder sugar

How-to:

To make the pie crust:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, almond, lemon zest, salt and sugar. Add butter cubes and 1 yolk, use finger tips to break them up and mix with the flour mixture, the butter should be soften by then but not melting. A tender dough is form, divide it into two portions, wrap with cling wrap and chill for 2 hours or until it slightly hardens.
• Take one dough out, roll it to 1/2 cm-thick sheet, cut to size and fit into your pre-greased tart pan(s). Continue to the other dough. Cover, and chill for another 2 hours (so that the crust will turn out more tender instead of tough)
• Pre-heat the oven to 180C. For small tarts may require 15 - 20 minutes, for big one probably 20 - 25 minutes. Once they turn golden brown, take them out and let cool for about 15 minutes, then unmold them carefully. Continue to let cool completely.

To assemble:

Fill the crust with vanilla cream and top with berries. The tart keeps well for 2 or 3 days in refrigerator, unless you use sliced fruit, which shouldn't be added on the tart not until right before you serve. Dust powder sugar to serve.

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