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Homemade Fresh Berry Tart Recipe
Fresh Berry Tart
My Blackberry Bushes
Homemade Berry Tart Recipe
Complete Tart Recipe From Dough To Filling
Growing in my backyard are these wild and unmanageable blackberry bushes. Thick with thorns, spiderwebs, and the most amazingly plump and flavorful berries. Before the thicket was able to completely take over, I decided to pick as many of these fresh black-beauties and add them to a mascarpone cheese-filled tart. It was far easier than I imagined and the outcome, when combined with sweet blueberries and the sweet creamy filling, ended up being a Blackberry and blueberry tart my family could not stop eating!
What Is A Pie
Pie vs. Tart: What's The Difference
What Makes A Pie A Pie
A pie can be a savory or sweet preparation that offers both, a filling and a crust. The side of a pie pan has angled sides which are wider at the top, creating a sloped outer edge. This delight can have a bottom crust only, or a top crust only, as well as having both a top and bottom crust. Pie crust is usually made using flour, salt, cold water, and some form of fat (like butter, lard, shortening, or some combination of these).
What Is A Tart
What Makes A Tart A Tart
A tart can be a savory or sweet preparation that has low (shallow) sides and ONLY a bottom crust. Tart crusts are generally made from pastry dough; flour, unsalted butter, sometimes sugar, and cold water. The idea with this crust is to create a crumbly sturdy or firm vessel. Tart pans are specially designed with a removable bottom—sometimes tarts are created using a pastry ring mold on a baking sheet—so it can be unmolded and served sliced before heading to the dinner or dessert table.
Cook Time (Not including 1-1/2 hours chill time for pastry dough)
NOTE: Making A Tart Dessert
Don't let the instructions scare you off, it looks like a lot of steps, but it really isn't. The pastry dough (which is actually very easy to make because the food processor does all of the work for you) takes about 5 minutes to complete and shape into a disc. The rest of the recipe is a real breeze. So, let's get started making your beautiful Black And Blue Berry Tart!
Ingredients for Tart Crust, Filling, Glaze, and Topping
- (crust) 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- (crust) 1/4 cup Ground Almonds, A spice grinder works great for this!
- (crust) 1-1/2 teaspoons Granulated White Sugar
- (crust) 1/4 teaspoon salt
- (crust) 1 stick (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter, VERY COLD & cut in 1/2" cubes
- (crust) 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract, Added to the cold water
- (crust) 4 to 6 tablespoons Ice Cold Water, Add almond extract to 4 TBL of the water and mix.
- (filling) 1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
- (filling) 1/3 cup Heavy Cream, Very cold
- (filling) 1/4 cup Granulated White Sugar
- (filling) 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- (glaze) 1 cup Granulated White Sugar
- (glaze) 1 cup Water
- (glaze) 2 lemons Juice and zest
- (topping) 2 cups Blackberries, Rinsed, dried and chilled
- (topping) 2 cups Blueberries, Rinsed, dried and chilled
Technique For Making Tart Crust (for our recipe, follow the measurments in the ingredients section of the article, not those in the video)
Step By Step Berry Tart Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeFinished Berry Tart Pattern
A Fresh Berry Tart Goes Pretty Fast!
Instructions For Making A Berry Tart
- PASTRY CRUST PART 1: A). Combine flour, ground almonds, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to mix. B). Add the very cold 1/2" butter cubes and pulse 7 or 8 times until it looks like course sand. C). Add the almond extract to 4 tablespoons of the ice cold water. Add this water to the flour and butter mix one tablespoon at a time, pulsing 1 time between each spoonful. Add more water a tablespoon at a time if needed. D). When the dough begins to just slightly bind together, remove from bowl and ball it up. E). On a lightly floured surface shape the dough into a 5" or 5-1/2" disc. F). Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- PASTRY CRUST PART 2: G). Remove disc from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temp for 5 minutes. H). Sprinkle a little flour on a cold surface and on the top of the disc. Using a rolling-pin roll out the disc to a 12" circle (about 1/8" thick). I). Carefully place dough into a 9" fluted tart pan. Gently press the dough into the sides of the pan. Let the dough come up the sides so it is slightly above the rim, then, trim flush to pan rim. J). Place tart crust in the freezer for 30 minutes. K). Preheat oven to 350°F. L). Remove the tart from freezer and poke the bottom with a fork several times. M). Line the crust with foil and fill with beans or pastry weights. N). Place tart pan on the middle rack and bake 20 minutes. O). Remove the weights from the tart by grabbing the sides of the foil, and then return tart to the oven and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until lightly golden brown at the edges. P). Remove from oven, and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
- LEMON GLAZE: While your tart crust is cooling, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil. Reduce heat to a moderate boil for about 5 minutes stirring very frequently. Take off heat, add juice and zest of 2 lemons and stir to combine. Bring back to a boil for 30 seconds, remove from heat and chill in refrigerator until you are ready to glaze the tart.
- TART FILLING: On high, beat together (using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer) mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks are achieved-- about 90 seconds, no longer or the filing can break and look more like cottage cheese than a creamy tart filling. Scoop mixture into cooled crust and spread it evenly so the top is very smooth and level.
- TART BERRIES: Place one row of blackberries closest to the outer edge of the tart and all of the way around the perimeter. Inside this row, place a row of blueberries so they are butted up close to the first row all of the way around. Continue this process until the top of the tart is completely covered in a beautiful pattern. Using the lemon syrup (GLAZE) brush the berries coating them until they are shiny and glistening.
- TART SERVICE: Remove the sides (outer rim) of tart pan, you may have to carefully nudge the crust away from the pan sides with a butter knife. Slice 8 pieces using a sharp knife or pie spatula and serve.
Mascarpone Cheese (plain)
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Serving size: 1 ounce | |
Calories | 120 |
Calories from Fat | 117 |
% Daily Value * | |
Fat 13 g | 20% |
Saturated fat 7 g | 35% |
Carbohydrates 35 g | 12% |
Sugar 0 g | |
Fiber 0 g | |
Protein 2 g | 4% |
Cholesterol 35 mg | 12% |
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |
Where Do The Most Blueberries Grow
Western Oregon provides large cultivation of blueberries, as well.
Michigan provides large cultivation of blueberries, as well.
New Jersey provides large cultivation of blueberries, as well.
North Carolina provides large cultivation of blueberries, as well.
Washington provides large cultivation of blueberries, as well.
Blueberry growth is rapidly increasing in California. This is due to the introduction of new varieties originating on the east coast of North America.
What You Think Really Does Matter!
Has making a tart dessert been something you have avoided because it sounds too difficult?
Rasberry Upside Down Cake; A Recipe For You And Your Kids!
Nothing like a fun afternoon spent with your kids in the kitchen! Fun, learning, bonding, and cake! Try making this easy Raspberry Upside Down Cake Recipe that you and the kids will enjoy from start to yummy finish!
Making A Tart Of Any Kind
If berries are not your thing, you can always try different toppings. Most fruit works well with the vanilla mascarpone filling, and chocolate always brings a welcome taste experience. And don't forget about those fresh strawberries and kiwi, which make phenomenal tarts! Use your imagination and favorite combinations to discover first hand that making tarts is no more difficult—and possibly a whole lot easier—than making the same old pie. Enjoy!