Bring on the Tang: Raspberry and Goat Cheese Tart

I know this may sound like a weird combination, but trust me, it's delicious (Naseem, you may even like it, I promise it tastes nothing like goat.)  I found this recipe on line when I was looking for a lower sugar, lower fat recipe for my friend Debbie's birthday.  I found the original recipe at the site called, Tastebook.  I have made this recipe 4 times now, today being for Jenny and Dick for an anniversary party they are having this afternoon.  I have also made this recipe with sliced strawberries, and another with sliced pears.  This dessert is perfect if you don't like super sweet, sweets.  It is like a thin cheesecake that is slightly tart (from the goat cheese) baked with raspberries.  You may want to try this for your next special event.  I've adjusted the recipe from the original slightly.  You can find the original at http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/982076-Raspberry-Goat-Cheese-Tart

Raspberry and Goat Cheese Tart

• • Sable Pastry
  • 1 cup  all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup ground almonds
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ t.  finely grated lemon rind
  • Pinch salt
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 egg
    
    
    Directions
    Place blanched almonds in a food processor along with sugar.  Pulse the almonds until ground (don't go too far, or you'll make almond butter--tasty, but not for this purpose).  Add the flour, salt and lemon rind.  Pulse to mix.  Cut cold butter into 1/2 inch pieces.  Place this in the processor and process in 10, 1 second pulses or until the mixture is about the texture of coarse cornmeal.  Beat the egg and add it on top of the dough.  Pulse until the mixture barely comes together.  At this point, take a pinch of the dough. If it does not hold together, add a tablespoon of vodka (yes, vodka--it will help you get the tart shell together and as it bakes, the alcohol will evaporate).  
    
    
    Place your dough in a 9 inch tart pan (this is a pan with fluted sides and a removable bottom.  Press the dough out with your fingertips, up the sides of the pan.  This is a bit of a pain, but is worth doing well.  If it is sticking to you, dampen your fingertips.  Make your crust as even as possible.  Refrigerate for 1/2 hour while you make the filling.  Place a rack on the lower 1/3 of your oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
    
    
    Blind bake the tart.  To do this, place a piece of foil on top of the crust and fill it with pie weights.  If you don't have pie weights, you can sacrifice a pound of dried beans. You won't be able to cook with them, but they can be reused over and over if you cool them down when done with use and place in a clean jar. I've had mine for 20 years.  Place your weight filled tart shell on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and beans and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Take out the tart shell and lower the temperature of the oven to 325.  Open the oven door for 10 seconds to drop the temperature.
    
    
    Filling
    ⅔ cup goat cheese (chevre), softened
    ⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
    ¼ cup  granulated sugar
    2 eggs
    ½ cup  whipping cream
    ½ t.  finely grated orange rind (I used clementines as they are in season) 
    ¼ t.   vanilla extract
    1/2 t. salt
    12 oz  raspberries (red, golden and/or black)
    
    
    Directions
• Mix the cheese, sugar and eggs in the food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the raspberries.  Process until smooth.  Pour this mixture into the tart pan and lovingly arrange the raspberries as you wish on the top.  Bake for 23-28 minutes until the center no longer giggles.  Remove and chill at least 2 hours.  It may be made up to 2 days in advance.
  
  
  Enjoy!

• Note:  February 19, 2011  I made this tart today with blueberries rather than raspberries.  They looked so lovely in the store.  It was amazing (and easier as you can just scatter the blueberries rather than lovingly placing the raspberries.)  Definitely worth trying.  Folks went nuts over this tart.  I even heard one person comment, "this is the absolute best dessert I've ever had."  My friend Bob looked me in the eyes and said, "perfect." Perhaps you should give it a try.