Pies + Tarts

rustic grape tarts


roasted grapes [haiku]
I am taken with
you: alone, or sleeping with
covers of sweet crust.



We ought to do good to others as simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne. – Marcus Aurelius

Rustic Grape Tarts

Tart dough recipe from Cooks Illustrated

These tarts are fairly easy to make, and because the grapes are so sweet, only a touch of sugar is needed. The crust is very flaky, but still soaks up all the juice the grapes leak, creating a very delicious bite.

I made tartlets, and used about 3/4 cup of grapes per tart, plus a cluster on top.

1 1/2 cups [213 g] all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water
red and green grapes, loose and a few small clusters still attached to the twig [see note]
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the crust
Process the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs, and the butter is the size of small peas. Add the water through the feed tube 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough holds together when pinched (about 10 pulses).

To fraisage the dough:
[also, a You Tube video here]
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gather into a rectangular shaped pile. Use the heel of your hand to smear the dough against the work surface. Continue to smear until all the dough has been worked. Gather into a pile again, and repeat. Flatten dough into a 6 inch disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for about an hour.

Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle [or 6 small circles, about 6 inches wide] on a piece of parchment paper, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and heat to 375F [180C].

Mound a few grapes in the center of your rolled dough, leaving a 2 inch border [or 1 inch border for tartlets]. Fold the outermost dough over the fruit, pleating it as you go [about every 2 to 3 inches]. After making the pleats, go back and put in more grapes, covering the bottom [the pleats will help the grapes from rolling everywhere] and tucking them under the pleats. Place a small cluster of grapes still attached to the twig on top of the loose grapes, if desired. Brush the dough with water and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar [or 1/2 teaspoon for each tartlet].

Bake until tart is deep golden brown and the grapes are slightly wrinkled and their juices are leaking, about 1 hour [less for tartlets – about 35 to 45 minutes]. Rotate baking sheet halfway through baking.

Cool the tart on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to transfer tart to a wire rack. Cool about 25 minutes. Serve.

  • Reply
    Janet
    Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    This recipe has way too much butter. The whole “crust” just melted into a burnt puddle of butter in a very short time. What a mess! A waste of 10 Tbsp of good butter! I ended up with roast grapes and no crust.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 9:18 pm

      Hi Janet – Sorry you had trouble with this crust. I’ve made it quite a bit over the last few years and haven’t ever had this happen. Did you change anything in the recipe? And what kind of flour/butter did you use?

  • Reply
    nerdwithtaste
    Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    I love this post! I cannot believe how simple it is, but it is so beautiful! Love the mini-ness of the tarts too! Irresistible! ~ nerdwithtaste.wordpress.com

  • Reply
    lieslmade
    Thursday, September 13, 2012 at 10:02 am

    So beautiful. I never thought of roasting grapes.

  • Reply
    Unknown
    Friday, September 7, 2012 at 3:08 am

    tarts in the oven 🙂 can’t wait!!!!

  • Reply
    phyllis grant
    Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 5:07 am

    freaking beautiful!

  • Reply
    Jenny @ BAKE
    Monday, August 27, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    I’ve never thought about roasting grapes before but yours look so beautiful and delicious I’m going to have to try!

  • Reply
    kankana
    Friday, August 24, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    I love roasted grapes. But I never really thought of putting on a tart. My husband loves grapes and I I think he will enjoy this tart too!

  • Reply
    Sacha
    Friday, August 24, 2012 at 12:57 am

    They’re gorgeous! It’s so nice to see something different in a tart. Grapes don’t get enough credit in desserts. Next, you have to try roasting them with onions and balsamic and fennel sausages ;).

  • Reply
    Christy
    Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:57 pm

    You know, I fell in love with roasting last winter, but that was just vegetables! And I’m seeing more and more articles on roasting fruit. This particular recipe looks like a must- thank you so much for an awesome idea!

    P.S. Also new to your blog, and I’m loving it so far 🙂

  • Reply
    Erin
    Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 5:38 pm

    Grapes are one of those things I’ve never tried roasting (which is surprising, I’ve roasted everything else!) These tarts look divine!

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:06 pm

      Thanks, Erin! I hadn’t ever roasted grapes, either – you’ll have to try it now! 🙂

  • Reply
    Kasey
    Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 3:54 pm

    I love roasting grapes – it brings out their sweetness and gooeyness like nothing else. What a simple, beautiful tribute…and gorgeous tarts!

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:05 pm

      Thanks Kasey. I’ve been obsessively roasting them for 2 weeks, ha. Addicting.

  • Reply
    Nicole
    Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 3:18 pm

    Your tarts are gorgeous! The contrast of the red and green grapes next to each other is just so pretty.

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:04 pm

      Thank you Nicole! I couldn’t decide which color I love more. 😉

  • Reply
    SreeBindu
    Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:44 am

    this is my first time ever looking or knowing about roasting grapes :), looks delicious.
    xoxo

    • Reply
      vanilla bean blog
      Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 8:04 pm

      It was my first time roasting grapes, too! Now I’m addicted.

  • Reply
    la domestique
    Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 3:14 am

    These tarts are simple and yet spectacular. Such a beautiful sentiment with this post as well.

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