Summer and blueberries go hand-in-hand in British Columbia. These juicy blue jewels are grown intensely near the southern portion of the province, but grow wild elsewhere- and are among the best in the world. This is why they are the star of this sweet summer Blueberry-Almond Tart. The combination of fully cooked and uncooked blueberries in the filling makes for an indulgent, yet refreshing tart and is complemented by nutty almonds.
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 Sweet Tart Crust, modified with toasted almonds (see below)
- 2 pints (approx. 4 cups) blueberries
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted*
Directions:
Begin by preparing a regular batch of Sweet Tart Crust. Combine the eggs, sugar, butter, and 1 teaspoon almond extract together. Next, add the flour, vanilla, salt, and 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted almonds. Stir the dough until it just comes together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Lightly flour your work surface and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough. Make sure to flour your rolling pin and rotate the dough periodically so that it does not stick to the work surface. Roll the dough out into approximately an 11 inch (28 cm) round and to a thickness of 1/2 cm. Gently place the dough into a 9-inch tart pan (with a removable bottom) and trim the edges. Prick the bottom of the pastry with the tines of a fork (approximately 10 times all around). Place the tart in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Next, prepare the blueberry filling. In a saucepan, combine 2/3 of the blueberries (approximately 3 cups) with the water, sugar, and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes, or until the blueberries have disintegrated.
Scoop 3-4 tablespoons of the berry juice into a small bowl with the cornstarch and mix it with a spoon until there are no lumps. Add the cornstarch mixture back to the pot and bring it to a boil again, stirring constantly. Let the blueberries bubble away for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture becomes thick. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Once the blueberry mixture has completely cooled, add in the remaining 1/3 (1 cup of the fresh blueberries)and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and mix to combine.
Place the tart shell in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Once cooked, let the tart shell cool completely before filling.
Next fill the tart. Sprinkle the toasted almonds in an even layer on the bottom of the the cooked tart shell. Next, spoon the blueberry filling into the tart shell and spread it inside the tart shell evenly. Decorate the top with an extra few fresh berries and serve!
The tart can be chilled for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, but I guarantee it will be gone in one day! Enjoy!
* To toast almonds: Add the slivered almonds into a dry pan on medium-high heat. Toss the almonds every 30 seconds, until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan once they are toasted and let cool completely before using.