Raspberry Shortbread Tart
Cook the sugar and orange juice until the sugar dissolves, simmer in the raspberries, and stir in the jam. Toast almonds at 325°, pulse them with ¼ cup of the flour into fine crumbs, and whisk in the remaining flour, cornmeal, and salt. Pulse butter, sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and egg yolks until creamy, then add the dry ingredients. Press half the dough into a 12-inch fluted tart pan, chill both halves for 30 minutes, and bake the shell until golden, then fill, crumble on the rest of the dough, and bake until golden.
This is a dessert built on contrast — a rich, buttery shortbread crust beneath a layer of cooked-down raspberries. The crumbly, tender pastry gives way to the bright pop of the berries, each one lending its jewel color and gentle sourness against the sweet, sandy crust. It is elegant in its simplicity, the kind of tart that lets beautiful summer fruit take center stage without a lot of fuss or embellishment.
The Buttery Shortbread Crust
Work the shortbread dough gently and press it into the pan for a crust that bakes up crisp, tender, and richly buttery. Shortbread rewards a light touch — mix just until it comes together and chill it before baking so it holds its shape and turns beautifully golden.
The Fresh Raspberry Topping
Spread the cooked raspberry filling over the par-baked crust, its tartness playing against the sweet shortbread. Orange juice and apricot jam deepen the fruit flavor, and the rest of the dough crumbled over the top bakes into a golden finish.
Raspberry Shortbread Tart
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the sugar and orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the raspberries. Reduce the heat to low.
- Cook until the raspberries have broken down into the sauce, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in the jam.
- Simmer until the jam melts into the sauce, about 2 minutes more.
- Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 325°.
- Spread the almonds onto a baking sheet.
- Bake until they just begin to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Place ¼ cup of the flour into the bowl of a food processor.
- Add the toasted almonds. Pulse to form fine crumbs.
- Pour into a large bowl.
- Whisk in the remaining flour, cornmeal, and salt.
- Place the butter into the bowl of the processor.
- Add the sugar, orange zest and vanilla.
- Pulse until creamy.
- Add the egg yolks and pulse.
- Add the dry ingredients and pulse until the dough just comes together.
- Turn the dough out onto your work surface.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Coat the bottom of a 12-inch fluted tart pan with vegetable oil spray.
- Press one half of the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Wrap the second half of the dough in plastic.
- Refrigerate both for 30 minutes.
- Prick the bottom of the tart with the tines of a fork.
- Place onto a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
- Remove the tart from the oven.
- Spread the filling over the crust.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the filling.
- Bake until the top of the tart is golden, about 30 to 40 minutes more.
- Cool completely.
- Sprinkle the top with confectioners’ sugar.
- Remove the rim from the tart pan and transfer to a platter.
The Heart of the Table
A tart of jammy raspberries under buttery shortbread is a generous thing to serve — it feels light, elegant, and full of the season. There is a gracious simplicity in letting beautiful berries shine, the kind of understated hospitality that trusts good ingredients to speak for themselves.
The Art of the Host
Chill the shortbread before baking so it keeps its shape, and cool the finished tart completely before slicing. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving so the top stays snowy and bright.
Neighborly Grace
- The Preparation: Bake the whole tart a day ahead, cool it completely, and keep it covered, then dust it with confectioners' sugar just before serving. This spreads out the work and keeps the tart fresh for a beautiful presentation.
- The Pour: A glass of Champagne or a light rosé flatters the raspberries elegantly; for a non-alcoholic pairing, a raspberry and mint sparkling water echoes the fruit and keeps the dessert feeling light.
- The Vibe: Serve it in neat slices, perhaps with a drift of powdered sugar, at a summer luncheon or an elegant dinner. This is refined, fruit-forward baking — simple and beautiful, made to let the season's best berries be the star.