Blueberry Tart
Summer is here! This means swimming in the lake, mojitos and so many blueberries! I've been stuck in my kitchen for the last few days baking and cooking up a storm. There's something about warm summer days that makes me want to cook delicious food and have long meals outside. I've got a lot of summer projects underway including building a wood bench/lounger for my backyard. With Seattle weather lingering in the 80s in the evenings, how could you blame me!?
I've also been testing my French macaron recipe (coming soon!), made a ton of fresh ice cream (cherry chunk drops next week!), and this delicious blueberry tart.
This tart packs it all in, a perfect balance of sweet and tart cooked blueberries with semi-cooked and crunchy whole blueberries on top. A little bit of everything in one bite. The crust is oh so easy and is flaky and just the right balance to the blueberries. This tart is the best way to celebrate the fresh berries of summer!
Blueberry Tart
Source: Martha Stewart, altered slightly
Serves 8 generously
CRUST
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
FILLING
6 cups (six 1/2-pint containers) fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Strips of lemon zest, to garnish
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using pastry cutter or food processor, work quickly and combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter; process until large moist crumbs form (dough should hold together when squeezed).
- Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. With floured measuring cup or can, press evenly into bottom and up sides. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes; prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely.
- Meanwhile, reserve 1 cup of the prettiest berries for topping. In a medium saucepan, bring 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 cups berries to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries burst and begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt to cornstarch mixture and stir together, then pour into berries in pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring, just until mixture begins to thicken, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups fresh berries. Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula, mound slightly in center.
- Scatter reserved berries on top, pressing down lightly to help them adhere. Garnish with strips of lemon zest. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes and up to overnight.
