The 2010 November Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Simona of bricole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers' to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi's Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.
I had never heard of pasta frolla before, and all I knew of crostata was from the photos that I had seen on foodgawker, which led me to believe that a crostata was a free-form type of tart filled with some kind of fruit filling.
As it turns out, pasta frolla is a type of sweet short crust dough, similar to tart or pie crust dough, but made with eggs (unlike other short crust or pie crust doughs), and there are limitless possibilities for filling crostata - they are not limited to free-form fruit varieties. Simona provided us with two different recipes to choose from for our pasta frolla, and then several ideas to inspire us regarding fillings, though did not limit us when it came time for filling and flavor decisions.
I had so many ideas right away, that I knew I would want to make more than one crostata. The challenge was narrowing it down to the few I wanted to make specifically during the challenge time-frame.
The inspiration for my first crostata hit me about a week after the challenge was posted, when our local food store listed fresh raspberries for sale. One of the ideas that Simona had provided for inspiration was a delicious looking crostata. made in a tart pan, filled with pastry cream and topped with fresh fruit. The raspberries looked too good to pass up, and thus I decided that they would be the showcase for my first attempt at a crostata.
The first step was to make the pasta frolla dough. The process for making pasta frolla is not that different
With the dough in the refrigerator, it was time to make the pastry cream. I had a bit of trouble choosing a recipe for my pastry cream, since I had only made it once before (for the tiramisu challenge), and wanted to
When the dough was fully chilled, little miss helped me roll it out. I don't have a tart pan (which are commonly used used for making crostata, contrary to what I had seen with the free-form examples of crostata that I had previously seen on foodgawker), so I used my regular pie plate. Since I had chosen a pastry cream and fresh fruit crostata, my pasta froll
Right before dinn
This dessert was fantastic - the pasta frolla crust was crispy and delcious, sweet without overpowering the flavor of the filling, and the pastry cream and fresh raspberries were delicious.
I was so encouraged by this first attempt at a crostata that I couldn't wait to try another. So a week later, I did.
Once again, the grated butter trick was awesome. Unfortunately, the pasta frolla gods were not with me that afternoon, as my dough seemed to have a very hard time coming together. I needed to add extra cold water, as the dough was way, way too dry and crumbly to come together. But with a little extra coaxing, we finally had a good dough, which was then set to rest in the refrigerator.
For this crostata, I chose to go more along the lines of what I had seen before, and went with a fruit filling and decided to forgo the pie plate. In keeping with the season, I chose apples and cranberries for the filling. While I peeled and cut the apples, little miss sorted through the cranberries, picking out only the best ones to be added to our ap
I had never made any kind of tart before, and never knew quite how versatile they were. Simona, thank you so much for introducing me to pasta frolla and the endless possibilities that it presents. I have so many ideas for so many other varieties, and I can't wait to try them.

To see some of the amazing, beautiful and delicious creations made by the other Daring Bakers this month, check them out here.
Those are gorgeous-looking crostatas! Great job!
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to bake with children they enjoy it so much and both of your versions of crostata look so delicious and I agree I'm sure the free-form one was the best it looks totally delicious. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.
ReplyDeleteI love to see the little hands of little miss! She seems to enjoy it so much! Your Crostatas are absolutely wonderful! Both! Oh how I wish we had more berries in Brazil!! Thanks for your lovely comment on my post. You are always so encouraging!
ReplyDeleteI ♥ both versions...and I do love the helpful little miss the most! She is absolutely precious! You did beautifully with the challenge. I love how well behaved your pastry cream is.
ReplyDeleteStunning job with both crostata! Your neatly packed rows of raspberries look beautiful and I bet they were delicious with the pastry cream and the light, buttery pastry. Mmm. I love the look of the free-form crostata too. I'm making a pie tonight and I'm tempted to do that instead. It looks so homely and inviting and those apples, cranberries and cinnamon would be perfect on a cold day like today.
ReplyDeleteI like both version of crostata. Love the raspberries and cranberries, apple, brown sugar sounds too delicious. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your sweet comments on my first challenge.
ReplyDeleteBoth of your crostatas look amazing, I can't wait to give it another go with a fruit topping!
Your looks great, I would just love to have a bite of each. Great baking!
ReplyDeleteAmazing job with both crostata! raspberries crostata looks yumm...bet they were delicious! awwwww love the helpful little miss the most! its just precious baking with kids!..
ReplyDeleteOh - I was tempted to make a raspberry pastry cream crostata. Your's looks scrumptious! Like you, when I first thought of a crostata I thought free form. Great learning experience for me... Great job on that one too!
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Great work on both the crostate, but I especially love the pastry cream and raspberry one--they are 2 of my favourite ingredients.
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Love both of them and will have to try a free form like the second one soon! Great tip about grating the butter!
ReplyDeleteBoth of your crostatas look excellent. I'm surprised you found raspberries at this time of year. I know, the daring challenges are whizzing by. I feel like I just completed the last one. But it's great, b/c it's keeps us consistently challenged, and there's a flurry of 'celebrating' every couple of weeks! Congrats on a challenge well-done!
ReplyDeleteApple and cranberry sounds amazing, and I love the way the free-form turned out.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you and others were inspired to make more than one crostata. Both your choices of filling sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteThe raspberries looks so bright and beautiful on top of the pastry cream, and I love the sound of the apple and cranberry as well!
ReplyDeleteYou have never made a tart before? One would never have guessed these are brilliant!! I love both fillings but the freeform crosata is calling my name!
ReplyDeleteThat looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI tried that grated butter trick for the first time too and was also amazed with how well it work.
Plus I used the same pastry cream recipe after much debate between some cook books, websites, and blogs. All of the recipes had different amounts of eggs, flour, and cornstarch for a similar amount of milk!
Your crostatas look fantastic, will be definitely trying both variations myself! And little helping hands are absolutely adorable.
ReplyDeleteThey both look super. Cute sous chef too!
ReplyDeleteBoth of your crostats look fantastic! I love to bake with my children. I really enjoyed participating for the first time with the Daring Bakers. :)
ReplyDeleteI think both your versions of crostata look absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThey both look utterly delicious! My mouth is watering, I am now craving raspberries... xxx
ReplyDeletebeautifully done.
ReplyDeleteRaspberries! I want raspberries!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous crostata, and a great helper to boot--you've got it made!
Both look beautiful! I love the fresh raspberries, but the turned over version looks yummy too. Nice job on the challenge!
ReplyDeleteThey look beautiful, I'm totally drooling over your fresh raspberry one, bought a tiny punnet here yesterday for $8.
ReplyDeleteYum! Yum! Yum! Fantastic job on the challenge (as always). Both versions sound and look amazing! But I think the one with the juicy red raspberries on top is my favorite - it just looks so fresh and the colour really pops! :)
ReplyDeleteYummy crostati :-) Beautiful tarts, the fresh fruits add such a pretty and fresh look!
ReplyDeleteCute little helper hands :)
ReplyDeleteBoth versions are amazing! Congratulations on your first attempts at tarts, you did amazing!
ReplyDeleteBoth look delicious! You can't beat the apple/cranberry combination during this time of year though :) I bet the raspberry would be the favorite in the summer months...funny how the weather/seasons control our taste buds :)
ReplyDeleteThe pastry cream with the fresh raspberries looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteWow well done on the challenge , the crostata and the filling is awesome. Beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteI drolled over you rapberry crostata while I was reading your post in the forum, and now I have to say I droll over both the raspberry crostata and your apple cranberry one too :-)
ReplyDeleteVery well done! Your crostata looks delicious. Yummy filling.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Raspberries and pastry cream. A match made in heaven. Beautiful crostatas
ReplyDeleteGreat job! Looks like you guys had a great time creating a wonderful crostata!
ReplyDeleteshelley, I had been drooling over your raspberry - pastry cream crostata the minute you posted it in the DK forum. Now I come here and see yet another drool worthy and gorgeous crostata. I'm not a huge fan of cranberries, but trust me, I'd eat that! :) Fantastic job as always, and glad to see little Miss is earning her pastry stars - I see a top Chef in the making :D
ReplyDeleteThey both look amazing! It was very hard to stop at just one crostata, I can vouch for that, lol! But I would have a hard choice if I had to choose - both I can imagine must be delectable! Well done!
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