Valentine Love Letter Tart

Transfer the pastry square to the prepared baking sheet (do not leave it on the cutting board like me 😆) and turn slightly sideways so it looks like a diamond in the center of the baking sheet with one corner pointing towards the top of the baking sheet. Scoop preserves into the center of the pie crust and add a 1/2 cup of raspberries and the sliced strawberries (saving 1 cup raspberries and all of the whole strawberries for finishing after baking). Add lemon zest if using.

Fold the pastry sides like an envelope: bringing both sides over the filling, slightly overlapping in the center. Bring the bottom up and press it down in the center. Press everything gently so it holds its shape.

Rustic Raspberry Envelope Tart

Ingredients (Pastry Dough)

2½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

⅔ cup (130g) vegetable shortening, chilled

½ cup (120ml) ice-cold water

** You can also use two sheets of store bought pie dough

Raspberry Filling

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

1 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup sliced and 1/2 cup cut into whole hearts

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Grated lemon zest of 1 lemon (optional)

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Coarse Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. If making the dough from scratch, whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and shortening and cut them into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of fat. Drizzle in the ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing until the dough begins to come together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, fold gently until cohesive, then roll into a 12-inch square. Use a ruler to cut the sides with a knife.

   ** You can absolutely use store-bought pie dough. Roll or gently press two sheets together if needed, then trim with a ruler into a neat 12-inch square.

3. Transfer the pastry square to the prepared baking sheet and turn slightly sideways so it looks like a diamond in the center of the baking sheet with one corner pointing towards the top of the baking sheet. Scoop preserves into the center of the pie crust and add a handful of raspberries (about 1/2 cup) and sliced strawberries. Save 1 cup of the raspberries and all of the whole heart shaped strawberries for finishing after baking). Add lemon zest to the center of the preserves if using.

4. Fold the pastry sides like an envelope: bringing both sides over the filling, slightly overlapping in the center. Bring the bottom up and press it down in the center. Press everything gently so it holds its shape.

5. Brush the exposed pastry generously with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse Demerara sugar.

6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

7. Cool slightly before finishing. Add more whole raspberries and strawberries cut into heart shapes. Garnish with edible flowers only. Slice, serve, and enjoy warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.