I use jars for liquored caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, and it just seems so silly to have to sterilize the jars so virulently when they come hermetically sealed already. I do boil them properly, however, because it would be horrific to give someone botulism—a little something extra to remember me by.

And I love berry season. I’m going to be making these recipes soon myself. Wild blackberries abound here, and there is just nothing better. We pick them wild, so we know that they are organic and unspoiled. Last year we froze several quarts, and it was a real treat to eat them in the winter. If you saw the apple crumble recipe I posted, berries of all kinds are wonderful in it. My family calls it “eating disorder food,” because you really just can’t stop as long as there is any left in the dish!

So, here’s two berry recipes for you.

2 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. table salt
18 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces and softened to room temperature
1/4 c. packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 c. raspberry preserves
3/4 c. fresh raspberries
1 Tbs. juice from 1 lemon

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut 18” length of foil and fold lengthwise to 8” width. Fit foil into length of 13”x9” baking pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides; allow the excess to hang over the edges. Cut a 14” length of foil and fit it into the width of the dish in the same way, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the flat beater, mix the flour, granulated sugar, and salt at low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With the machine on low, add 16 tablespoons butter on piece at a time; then continue mixing on low until the mixture resembles damp sand, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Measure 1 1/4 cups of the flour mixture into a medium bowl; set aside. Distribute the remaining flour mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Using your hands or a flat-bottomed measuring cup, firmly press the mixture into an even layer to form the bottom crust. Bake until the edges begin to brown, 14 to 18 minutes.

While the crust is baking, add the brown sugar, oats and nuts to the reserved flour mixture; toss to combine. Work in remaining 2 tbs. butter by rubbing the mixture between your fingers until the butter is fully incorporated. Pinch the mixture with your fingers to create hazelnut-sized clumps. Set the streusel aside.

Combine the preserves, raspberries and lemon juice in a small bowl; mash with a fork until combined but some berries still remain.

Spread the filling evenly over the hot crust; sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the filling (do not press the streusel into the filling). Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping id a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 22 to 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack for 1 to 2 hours. Once cooled, remove from the pan by lifting the foil extensions. Using a chef’s knife, cut into squares and serve.

Tart Pastry (Pate Sucree):
1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the filling)
1 Tbs heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 c. confectioner’s sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbs. very cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2” cubes

Filling:
6 Tbs unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk plus 1 egg white
1/2 c. plus 1 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. framboise or kirsch
1/4 tsp. grated zest plus 1 1/2 tsp. juice from one lemon
2 Tbs. Wondra cake flour
2 Tbs. heavy cream
1 pint (10 oz.) fresh raspberries

For the tart pastry

Whisk together the yolk, cream and vanilla in a small bowl. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor with four 1-second pulses. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture; pulse to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles course meal, about twenty 1-second pulses. With machine running, add the egg mixture and process until dough comes together, about 12 seconds. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a 6-inch disk; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.

Remove dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated for more than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Unwrap and roll out between large, lightly floured sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to an 11-inch round. If the dough becomes soft and sticky, slip it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until it becomes workable. Transfer the dough to a tart pan by rolling it loosely over a rolling pin and unrolling it over a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Working around the circumference of the pan, ease the dough into the pan by gently lifting the dough with one hand while pressing the dough into the corners and sides of the pan with the other hand. Press the dough into the fluted sides of pan, patching breaks or cracks if necessary. If some edges are too thin, reinforce the sides by folding excess dough back on itself. Run the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan to remove excess dough. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet or large plate and freeze 30 minutes. (Frozen dough-line tart pan can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen up to 1 month.)

Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet; lightly spray one side of an 18-inch square of heavy-duty extra-wide foil with nonstick cooking spray. Press the foil, greased side down, inside the frozen tart shell, folding excess foil over edge of pan; fill with metal or ceramic pie weights. Bake until the pastry appears dry and pale gold under the foil and the edges have just begun to color, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway though baking. Remove from the oven and carefully remove foil and weights by gathering the edges of the foil and pulling up and out. Return the baking sheet with tart shell to oven and bake until sides are medium golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool.

For the filling

While the tart shell is cooling, heat the butter in a small saucepan with light-colored interior over medium heat; cook, swirling or stirring occasionally, until the butter smells nutty and the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer the butter to a small heatproof bowl to stop the cooking; cool the butter until just warm to the touch. Whisk egg and egg white in medium bowl until combined; add sugar and salt and whisk vigorously until light colored, about 1 minute. Whisk in warm browned butter until combined; then whisk in vanilla, framboise or kirsch, lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk in Wondra flour, then whisk in cream until combined.

To assemble

Distribute the raspberries in a single, tightly packed layer in the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Pour the filling mixture evenly over the raspberries. Place the tart on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake until fragrant and the filling is set (does not jiggle when shaken) and bubbling lightly around edges, and the surface is puffed and deep golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating the sheet pan after about 20 minutes for even browning. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, at least 1 ½ and up to 6 hours. Remove the tart pan ring; slide a thin-bladed spatula between the bottom of the tart pan and the crust to loosen, then slide the tart onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

to go in harm’s way….