Perfect Blueberry Tart

Last updated on January 15th, 2023

Here’s the recipe from the “A Perfect Blueberry Tart” video that was recently published on my YouTube channel. The tart is perfectly perfect in every way, from the tender-crisp pastry shell to the azure filling that contains both cooked and uncooked blueberries. You might like to serve the dessert for your next summertime picnic or dinner party. It tastes like a mouthful of sunshine! Click the “play” arrow above to watch the video. Then scroll down for written directions and the printable step-by-step:

Ingredients for A Perfect Blueberry Tart

For the crust:
All-purpose flour
Confectioners’ sugar
Salt
Cold, diced butter
Beaten egg

For the Blueberry Filling:
Water
Fresh blueberries
Granulated sugar
Fresh lemon zest
Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Salt
Cornstarch

Making the French Pastry Crust

Put the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly just to combine. Add the cold diced butter, and pulse the machine about 5 times just to break up the butter. Then, with the machine running, pour the beaten egg through the feed tube. When the sound of the processor shifts from a loud roar to a less-loud roar (you can hear the shift in the video up top), stop the machine.

Pour the clumpy dough onto a non-floured work surface, gather it into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap the disk in cling film and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.

On a non-floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch-diameter circle. Then gently ease the dough (do not stretch it at all) into an un-greased 9-inch-diameter removeable bottom tart pan. Press the sides of the dough against the wall of the pan. Then run a rolling pin over the rim of the pan to remove any overhanging dough.

Prick the bottom (not the sides) of the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Then place a big sheet of aluminum foil over the dough, and press it into the contours of the pan. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Baking the Crust

When you are ready to bake, center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 425°F. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust is set — 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and beans, and continue baking until the crust colors slightly and feels dry to the touch — 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Making the  Blueberry Filling

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries and set them aside.

Put the water and 3 cups of the blueberries in a medium-size sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally until the berries soften and begin to break up — about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Then add the cornstarch solution, and stir until the mixture boils and thickens — 20-30 seconds. Off heat, stir in 2 cups of blueberries.

Assembling and Serving the Tart

Pour the hot berry mixture into the tart shell, and smooth the top with a spatula. Immediately top the tart with the reserved 1 1/2 cups of blueberries, scattering them evenly over the surface. Gently press down on the fresh berries to help them adhere to the hot, sticky berries. Let cool to room temperature. (The tart can refrigerated overnight.) Serve, if you wish, with whipped cream, ice cream or crème fraiche.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE, TRY THESE OUT:

French Asparagus Tart

My Favorite Strawberry Tart

Rustic Nectarine Galette

Print Recipe

A Perfect Blueberry Tart

Lemon-kissed blueberries in a tender-crisp French pastry shell. Delicious!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: 8

Equipment

• A 9-inch-diameter removeable bottom tart pan

Ingredients

For the French pastry shell:

• 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (64g) confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113g) cold, diced butter
• 1 large egg, beaten

For the blueberry filling

• 1/4 cup water
• 6 1/2 cups (about 2 1/2 lbs.) fresh blueberries, divided
• 1/4 cup sugar
• The grated zest of one lemon
• The juice of one lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Making and blind-baking the French pastry shell:

• Pour the flour, sugar, and salt into the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse the machine a few times just to combine. Add the cold butter, and then pulse the machine 5 times or so just to break up the butter. With the machine running, add the beaten egg through the feed tube. Stop processing when the sound of the machine changes from a loud roar to a soft roar -- 10-15 seconds.
• Pour the crumbly dough onto a non-floured work surface. Knead the dough briefly to incorporate any stray bits of flour. Then form the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, and wrap it in cling film. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-inch-diameter circle. Then transfer the circle to an un-greased 9-inch-diameter removeable bottom tart pan. Do not stretch the dough -- simply ease it into the pan. Gently press the sides of the dough against the wall of the pan. Run the rolling pin over the pan to remove any excess dough. Prick the bottom (not the sides) of the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Cover with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or beans. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour (or freeze for 30 minutes).
• Center the oven rack. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Put the tart pan on a baking sheet. Bake just until the dough firms up -- 15-20 minutes. Then remove the foil and beans, and continue baking until the dough colors lightly and feels dry to the touch -- 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Making the blueberry filling:

• Rinse the blueberries. Measure out and set aside 1 1/2 cups of the berries (these will be used for the top of the tart).
• Put the water and 3 cups of the blueberries in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally until the berries soften and begin to break up -- about 5 minutes. Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Then add the cornstarch solution and stir until the mixture thickens -- about 30 seconds.
• Off heat, stir in 2 cups of blueberries.

Filling and topping the pastry shell:

• Pour the hot blueberry filling into the pastry shell, and smooth the top with a spatula. Immediately top the tart with the reserved 1 1/2 cups of raw blueberries, scattering them as evenly as possible over the surface. Gently press down on the fresh berries to help them adhere to the hot, sticky berries. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Serve cold or at room temperature with or without a dollop of whipped cream, sour cream, crème fraiche, or ice cream.