Blueberry Tart with Brown Butter Crust
Allow me to hazard a guess: When you present this magnificent blueberry dessert to your dinner guests, they won't believe it's homemade. Its sheer beauty and bakery-worthy appearance are achieved through a delightful brown butter crust and an arrangement of fresh blueberries adorning the top. Serve it as the grand finale to an effortless summer dinner party, featuring dishes like bruschetta grilled chicken, summer panzanella, and a chopped kale salad.This tart is a true celebration of summery flavors, thanks to a generous amount of blueberries. The filling, quick-cooked to perfection, consists almost entirely of juicy berries, complemented by hints of lemon and vanilla to enhance their natural taste. To add an extra touch of visual appeal, scatter even more fresh blueberries on top. While the tart looks stunning with plain blueberries, you have the option to create an easy glaze that will make the fruit truly shine. Simply combine 1/4 cup of apricot preserves and 2 teaspoons of water in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the mixture in the microwave on High until warmed, approximately 30 seconds. Brush the glaze over the tart and refrigerate until well chilled, typically around 2 hours.The crust gains a delightful depth of flavor from brown butter, which adds a subtle nuttiness. While browning butter doesn't take much time, if you prefer, you can use plain melted butter instead for a crust that tastes just like a sugar cookie.
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp. (1 1/4 sticks) butter, cubed
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
FILLING
- 1/3 c. water
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 6 1/2 c. fresh blueberries, divided
- 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small pot over medium heat, melt butter. Once melted, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, watching closely and stirring occasionally, until butter simmers and starts to turn golden. Once simmering stops and butter is golden and smells nutty, about 5 minutes, remove from heat. Pour into a medium heatproof bowl and stir in vanilla. Let cool 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375º. In a large bowl, whisk flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add cooled brown butter and stir until a crumbly dough forms. Scrape dough into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom. Using your fingers or back of a measuring cup, press dough in bottom and up sides of pan. Place pan on a small rimmed baking sheet and freeze 15 minutes.
- Keeping pan on baking sheet and using a fork, poke bottom of tart shell all over. Line tart with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and continue to bake until bottom is golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool.
FILLING
- In a medium pot, whisk water and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt to combine. Add 2 c. blueberries and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, mashing berries with a potato masher or back of a spoon, then stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened enough to well coat back of spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and vanilla and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and stir in 2 c. blueberries.
- Scrape blueberry mixture into cooled tart shell and smooth top. Arrange remaining 2 1/2 c. blueberries top side up in a circular pattern over filling. Refrigerate until well chilled and filling is set, at least 2 hours or up to overnight wrapped in plastic.
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