
I purchased some fresh blackberries by mistake last week. I love the flavor of blackberries so I browsed through my recipe files to find a way use the berries. After a long search, I ended up combining several recipes–a sweet pie crust with a custard and fruit filling. Now it is a delicious blackberry custard tart. The old-fashioned cooked custard compliments the fresh blackberry flavor and the powdered sugar added to the pie crust gives a little sweetness. Wow!
I like this recipe because the blackberries aren’t cooked. They retain fresh fruit flavor and aroma. The glaze is made by melting blackberry jam and spreading it over the fresh berries.
The crust is a rolled pie dough crust with a little powdered sugar added. I baked the pie shell in a fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
To make the crust, soft tub margarine is blended into the flour, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt.
Then ice water is added to make the dough. Traditionally, pie crusts are made with solid shortening or butter to yield a flaky pie crust which “melts in your mouth.” This crust wasn’t that flaky but it was still tasty.
The trick is to add just enough ice water to make a pliable dough which isn’t sticky. It takes practice to make pie dough successfully; these proportions worked just right. Don’t add too much ice water, if too crumbly add more water drop by drop.
Roll the dough out between 2 layers of wax paper (dust wax paper with flour) and then transfer to an 8″ fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Smooth the pie shell out and trim the edges even with the top of the tart pan.
Poke holes in the bottom to let out steam (so the crust won’t bubble). Bake the pie shell and cool room temperature before adding the custard filling
The custard filling is a cooked custard with flour and four egg yolks, with a little sugar and vanilla extract for flavoring.Cook the flour, sugar and milk over low heat while stirring constantly while the mixture boils for two minutes. This is tedious, but you won’t have lumps in the custard if you take your time. Here the milk is beginning to thicken.
Separate the four eggs, add the yolks and cook a little longer. Save the egg whites for another recipe. Add the vanilla extract after removing from heat.Cool the custard completely before pouring into the tart shell. This makes a very thick custard. Add fresh blackberries and glaze with melted blackberry jam.
And that’s it. A delicious tart. Strawberries or blueberries can also be used for this tart.
Fresh Blackberry Custard Tart
Ingredients for Tart Crust:
- 1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup soft margarine
- 2 Tbsp ice water
Method and Steps for Tart Crust:
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
- In medium-sized bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar and salt. Cut shortening in using a fork until mixture is texture of course meal.
- Using a fork, quickly blend ice water into flour mixture until flour is moistened and can be made into a ball.
- On a flat surface, roll dough out between 2 pieces of lightly floured wax paper to slightly larger than 8″ tart pan with removable bottom.
- Fit pie shell into tart pan, press into bottom and sides of pan (do not stretch dough) and trim even with top. Using a fork, poke holes into bottom of pie shell.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Cool completely. Then remove from pan.
Ingredients for Custard and Blackberries:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 4 egg yolks, beaten
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pint blackberries, washed and drained
- 3 Tbsp blackberry jam
Method and Steps for Filling:
- In medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt. Gradually add milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil 2 minutes, and continue to stir constantly, remove from heat.
- Whisk in egg yolks, return to heat and cook 1 minute longer.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract.
- Place plastic wrap on surface of custard. Chill 30 minutes.
- Stir, spread evenly into tart shell.
- Arrange blackberries on top.
- In small saucepan over low heat, melt blackberry jam. Brush over blackberries.
- Chill several hours.
- Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
A spring fresh fruit tart!
Looks delicious!
Thank you!
Delicious ! 🙂
Thanks, your blog is great, too!