Gluten and Lactose Free Dessert with Chef Richard Hawke

(This recipe appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of Pastry Arts Magazine)

Raspberry Tart

With summer almost here, I start thinking about ways to use the fruits of the season, including fresh raspberries. With that in mind, here’s my fresh take on a classic, a frangipane and raspberry tart that is both gluten and lactose free. It features an almond shortbread shell, almond cream filling and raspberry coulis, topped off with beautiful fresh berries and micro herbs. Feel free to adapt the recipe using whatever fresh seasonal fruit is currently available.

Yield: 12 individual tarts

Special equipment: perforated hexagonal rings (#3099.60) from de Buyer

Almond Shortbread

• 210 g coconut oil, odorless
• 530 g brown rice flour
• 6 g guar gum (preferably Louis François)
• 204 g confectioners’ sugar
• 68 g almond powder
• 5 g salt
• 114 g whole eggs
• 63 g water

1. Melt the coconut oil to 77- 86˚F (25-30°C) and add to dry ingredients, mixing with a paddle in a stand mixer. Add the eggs and water to form a dough.
2. Roll the dough out to 3 mm thick between two sheets of parchment paper. Refrigerate until chilled, then cut out rounds and line tart rings.
3. Bake at 300˚F (150°C) on perforated silicone mats for 12 to 15 minutes, until par-baked. Cool completely.

Chef’s tip: Roll the dough out right after mixing – the coconut oil has a very short window of time before it melts, as it is liquid at room temperature.

Almond Cream

• 100 g grapeseed oil
• 100 g almond powder
• 100 g confectioners’ sugar
• 100 g whole eggs
• Frozen raspberries, as needed

1. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Fill a piping bag with the cream and pipe 30 g into each par-baked shell. Bake at 338˚F (170°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Once out of the oven, press the tops slightly to form a completely flat surface for the next layer.

Chef’s tip: The raspberries used here can be imperfect ones that are not good enough for decoration. Instead of throwing them out, freeze them onto trays and then store them in containers to place onto sponges or use in almond cream.

Raspberry Coulis

• 530 g raspberry puree (preferably Capfruit)
• 60 g instant inulin (preferably Louis François)
• 7.8 g pectin 325NH95 (preferably Louis François)

1. Heat the puree to 122˚F (50°C), then add inulin with pectin and combine with a hand blender.
2. Heat to 185˚F (85°C). Cool completely, then cover the surface of the coulis with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set.

Chef’s tip: The addition of inulin allows you to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. If it is not available, it is possible to replace it with sugar, but the result will be significantly sweeter.

Assembly

• 500 g fresh raspberries
• Micro herbs, for garnish

Once the tart shells have completely cooled, spread raspberry coulis on the top and then arrange fresh raspberries on top. Garnish randomly with the micro herbs.