When I go out for a Swedish “fika”, I often get a ‘Mazarin’ or almond tart to go with my coffee. As Mazariner are one of my favorite Swedish pastries I decided that I should have a recipe posted on my blog as well and I’ve been thinking about this one for a while. The standard recipe is without berries and only contains the pastry, the almond filling and a simple, white icing. Unassuming but so very delicious. I was lucky enough to find some raspberries in the forest on one of my evening walks, and I figured they’d be perfect for Mazariner. And that pink icing is completely natural!
Hallonmazariner – Swedish Raspberry Almond Tarts
Servings 20 mazarin tarts
Ingredients
Rich Shortcrust Pastry
- 300 g all purpose flour (approx. 2 1/2 cups)
- 100 g powdered sugar (3/4 cup)
- A pinch of salt
- 200 g cold salted butter, diced (1 3/4 sticks)
- 1 large egg yolk
Filling
- 300 g almond paste
- 150 g salted butter, at room temperature (1 1/3 sticks)
- 1/8 tsp vanilla powder
- 3 large eggs
- 100 g fresh raspberries
Icing
- 75 g raspberries, frozen or fresh
- 60 ml water (4 tbsp / 1/4 cup)
- 250 g powdered sugar (2 cups)
Instructions
Pastry
- Mix the flour, powdered sugar and salt in a large bowl. Pinch the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour. Place 20 mazarin tart moulds on a baking pan covered with baking paper.
- Roll out the dough to a 2–3 mm thickness on a floured sheet of baking paper. Cut out ovals that fit your moulds, then press the dough evenly into place with your fingers. Alternative Method: Divide the dough into 30-35 gram portions and press each portion directly into the moulds as evenly as possible.
- Trim off any excess dough around the edges using a knife. Prick the bottom of each crust with a fork. Place the moulds in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
Filling
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grate the almond paste into a large bowl, then add the butter and vanilla and blend the mixture until smooth. Add the eggs one at the time, mixing after each addition.
- Spoon the almond paste mixture into a piping bag, and pipe a thin layer of the filling into the bottom of all the moulds. Place a couple of raspberries in each mould (depending on size), and pipe filling on top of them until about slightly more than halfway full (the filling will expand in the oven).
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the tarts are nicely browned. Let the tarts cool for a few minutes before gently turning them out from the moulds onto the baking paper. Let cool completely.
Icing
- Combine the frozen raspberries and water in a saucepan and let simmer for 3 minutes. Mash the berries as they heat – then strain through a mesh sieve to remove seeds. Let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and about 5 tbsp of the raspberry sauce – add more as needed. Stir until the icing is smooth. Spoon the icing onto the Mazarin tarts using a small spoon. Let the icing set a little bit before serving.
Notes
For reference – my Mazarin tarts are approximately 8×6 cm measured on top of the mould.
Storage: 1 day at room temperature. If stored longer, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Personally I think they taste even better after a day in the fridge. If you wish to freeze some, do so before icing them.
