This raspberry and chocolate ganache tart requires no baking beyond the crust.

This raspberry and chocolate ganache tart requires no baking beyond the crust.

Red, ripe and bursting with flavor — it’s high summer, and raspberries are in season. Sometimes called one of nature’s superfruits, they’re as good for you as they are delicious, promoting eye and heart health, and aiding in digestion. So, there are many reasons to purchase these beauties. When you do, select ones that are deep red, well-shaped and unblemished. Check the bottom of the package; there should be no visible discoloration or wet, mushy material. They’re highly perishable, so purchase only what you’ll use in the next two to three days. At home, sort and spread them out in a container (preferably glass), then cover and refrigerate it. Wash them just before using; they’re crushed by running faucet water, so put them in a colander, gently dip it in a bowl of cold standing water, drain the colander, remove the berries and let them dry on paper towels.

When they’re at their best, I present them simply, with accompaniments that complement but don’t compete. This tart is a good example: It’s just beautiful, luscious berries, set off by rich chocolate. Only the crust is baked. The filling, a combination of melted chocolate and cream (called ganache), never sees the inside of an oven. No adjustments are needed for altitude, the recipe works at any elevation.

Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache Tart

Bake in a 9-inch shiny metal tart pan with a removable bottom

1¼ cups bleached all-purpose flour, dip and sweep

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, spoon and level

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (one stick), cold

6 ounces high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (don’t exceed 62 percent cacao), chopped fine

2 tablespoons water, kirsch or crème de cassis

Make the crust: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and, using the metal blade, pulse to combine well. Cut the butter into small pieces, add them and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the egg and pulse only until it’s incorporated. Dump the mixture on a sheet of waxed paper and knead gently until it comes together. Shape the dough into a 6-inch disc, wrap it airtight and refrigerate it until it’s firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes. It can also be frozen at this point.

Roll the crust: Grease the pan bottom but not the sides. Let the dough warm until rollable, and roll it into a 12-inch circle between two sheets of waxed paper. Lift the waxed paper as you work, sprinkling on cocoa powder or flour if the dough is sticking. If the dough softens, chill it between the sheets of waxed paper until it firms up. Carefully lift off the waxed paper and fit the dough into the pan, doubling it on the sides and cutting the top even with pan sides. Save any extra dough to patch any cracks that occur while baking.

Blind bake the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center position. If using pie weights, freeze the crust in the pan until quite firm. Cut a 13-inch circle of nonstick or greased aluminum foil and press it (nonstick side down) onto the dough, extending it above the sides, then fill it with pie weights. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes, until the dough is set but not done. Take the pan out of the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes, carefully remove the weights and foil, return it to the oven and bake until the dough is dry and firm, 7-12 more minutes. If not using pie weights, freeze the unbaked crust in the pan six or more hours, it will then be so solid when baked that you need not use weights. Move the pan from the freezer to a baking sheet, place it in the preheated oven and bake until the crust is dry and firm, start checking at 15 minutes. If the dough puffs while baking, prick it with a toothpick so the air escapes and gently press it down while the dough is warm and pliable. For both methods: Remove to a rack and cool completely. If not filling immediately, store it, covered, in the pan, at room temperature for up to one day.

Make the filling: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan or microwave until almost simmering. Pour it over the chocolate, covering it entirely. Let the mixture rest until most of the chocolate has melted. Gently stir (don’t create air bubbles) until completely smooth. Spread it in the cooled tart shell. When the ganache has thickened slightly, so the berries stick to it but don’t sink into it, arrange them over the top, starting at the outside edge.

Glaze the berries: Warm the jam in a microwave or saucepan over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat, stir in the water, kirsch or crème de cassis, and brush over the berries. Store the tart in the refrigerator for up to six hours. Let the tart sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before removing the pan sides and serving.

The crust recipe is a variation of one in The Pie and Pastry Bible.

Vera Dawson is a high-elevation baking instructor and author of three high-altitude cookbooks (available at Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe). Contact her at veradawson1@gmail.com.

High altitude makes cookies spread, cakes fall, and few baked goods turn out as they do at sea level. This column presents tested recipes and tips that make baking at high elevations successful.

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