The flavor combination of lemon and blueberry is absolutely stunning. Lemon is a naturally bright flavor and when you combine the two they really compliment one another perfectly.
The custard's texture is beyond heavenly. Believe me, you will want to be licking it off the plate when the crust is all gone.
**I want to note that I got this recipe from Food and Wine and adapted it to make my own version of the classic French tart. If you want to know how I made it, read on.
PASTRY
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice
FILLING
- 4 large eggs
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from about 4 Meyer lemons)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons of Meyer lemon zest
BLUEBERRY SAUCE
- 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries
- 1 cup of water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (about a half of 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon of Meyer lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Okay, so now that you have all of your ingredients ready, here's how to make it (be patient):
- 1. Pastry: In a small bowl, whisk together the cream with the egg yolk. In another bowl, combine the 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour with the sugar and salt. Next, using two knives or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is crumbled into the flour. DO NOT USE YOUR HANDS- the butter will start to melt and you do not want that to happen. To the flour and butter mixture, add the whisked egg yolk and cream. Mix that together gently using a spatula. Sprinkle some flour onto the counter and gently knead the dough together until it is combined. Wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for an hour.
- 2. PASTRY: Preheat the oven to 375° and coat a 9-inch tart dish with a removable bottom with oil spray (I used olive oil). On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a 12-inch round and ease it into the pan, pressing it into the corners. Be sure to work the pastry around the corners so you create the perfect crust. Roll the rolling pin over the tart pan to cut off any excess pastry. Refrigerate the tart for 10 minutes.
- 3. PASTRY: Place parchment paper over the crust and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and weights and bake the tart shell for 15 minutes longer. You are blind baking the tart shell so you want to constantly check the tart to make sure the edges don't burn. When the tart is golden brown, take it out and let it cool completely.
- 4. FILLING: Set a strainer of a bowl next to the stove- you will use it after the custard has cooked. In a large saucepan, combine the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and salt and whisk until smooth. Cook the custard over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and add the butter a few pieces at a time, gently whisking until incorporated. Immediately strain the filling into the bowl. With a spatula, mix in the two tablespoons of the lemon zest. Scrape the filling into the cooled tart shell and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
5. BLUEBERRY SAUCE: In a small small saucepan, combine the blueberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. On medium heat, cook the sauce until the blueberries start to break and the sauce starts to thicken, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. When the sauce has thickened, add the cornstarch mixture. You'll know the sauce is ready when it can coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat or keep it warm until you're ready to serve it with the tart.
6. TART: Remove the tart from the fridge and push the tart up to remove the ring. Cut the tart into wedges and serve with the blueberry sauce, warm or cold.
