Sunday, August 8, 2010

By The Pound

I do it every time. I can't help it. I go to Costco and I stock up on 3-pound containers of blueberries for $5.99. I love blueberries and it only seems logical to buy that many at that price. I even do it at the regular grocery store. If a pint of blueberries is $1.99, why not buy a 2-pound clam shell of them for $4.99? It only makes sense, right? Until you get home and you actually have to use them!

I usually keep the blueberries in the fridge and I'll bake with them, add them to cereal or smoothies, or throw them in pancake batter. Then a couple weeks go by and they get shoved to the back of the refrigerator and I forget about them. By the time that happens, I go into panic mode and I fear the blueberries are going to whither and wrinkle and turn to mush so I throw them into the freezer (still in the clam shell) where they'll last for the next few months or until I need to add them to the next recipe.

Sometimes I forget I have blueberries in the freezer and I buy more to stock my fridge. They start getting wrinkly and I panic to use them up- it's a vicious cycle, I'm telling you! That's where this recipe came into play. This tart consists of a thick buttery shortbread crust and it's topped with a perfectly simple custard and 3 cups of berries. I used blueberries, but the original recipe calls for raspberries- a mixture of both would be nice. The custard is creamy, the crust is firm but when the two meet up it's the slightest bit chewy- in a good way. It's sweet and tart and a taste of summer in every bite. If you have ever multiplying berries then give this recipe a try.

Blueberry Lemon Shortbread Tart adapted from Rachael Ray via A Feast For The Eyes

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  • 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (1 pound)

Shortbread Crust:

  • 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Lemon Custard:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup juice)
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting

Drain the blueberries in a strainer set over a bowl. Preheat the oven to 400°.

For the shortbread crust: Using your fingers, combine the butter, 1/2 cup of the sugar and 11/2 cups of the flour and blend together until coarse crumbs form (I used a pastry blender to incorporate the ingredients, but a food processor works well too). Pour the mixture into an ungreased nonstick 9-inch springform or cake pan and press down evenly to form a crust. Bake the shortbread crust until lightly golden, about 20 minutes.

Remove the shortbread from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325°. Scatter the drained blueberries evenly over the baked shortbread.

For the lemon custard: Beat the eggs with the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar until thick and pale yellow. Whisk in the lemon zest, the lemon juice and a 1/4 cup of flour. Pour the lemon cream over the raspberries.

Bake the tart until the custard is set, about 30 minutes (My tart took about 50 minutes for the custard to set in the middle). Let cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar.

NOTE: The top of the custard doesn't brown much so it's hard to tell if it's done, but it shouldn't be wet and liquidy. The custard is done when it firms up in the center. This may take longer than 30 minutes.

36 comments:

Fab Find Foodie said...

Oh my gosh....this looks utterly divine!!

Katie said...

Wow wish we could get blueberries so cheaply here in the UK - we pay £2.99 for a tiny 150g pot!! I love blueberries.

This tart looks fabulous, I thought it was sponge at first but custard sounds even yummier

J e l e n a said...

Hello from Belgrade, Serbia! I've came across your wonderful blog by accident and I am so lucky I did. Fantastic dishes you have! I am looking foreward to visiting your blog and waiting for the new recipes.
I just have a question about the tart. In the recipe it says to pour the blueberries over the baked tart then the custars over the fruit, and in the picture it looks like it's vice versa. Beautiful recipe! Blueberries are expensive here eventhough we are the second largest export country in Europe I could do this with other fruit!

Monica H said...

jelena- I followed the recipe as posted. The bottom picture shows a good representation of the layers. That thick bottom layer that looks like custard is actually the shortbread crust. I baked it til lightly golden, Then I put the 3 cups of blueberries on the shortbread, then poured on the custard (see the second picture).

I'll include another picture or two so you can see the steps.

Thanks for stopping by!

Monica

Selba said...

Wow... blueberries! Monica, your blueberry tart looks so delicious!

I wish that I could find blueberries easily here in Jakarta but too bad, it's very hard and beside not really fresh anymore, it cost like a fortune. But anyway, I managed to eat a lot blueberries during my stay in the USA :)

cookies and cups said...

I do the same thing!!!
I love blueberries too and this tart is so perfect :)

Heather S-G said...

That looks insanely delicious!! Here's to vicious cycles ;)

J e l e n a said...

Thank you Monica now it's clear!

Foodiewife said...

I was a little worried when you first emailed that this recipe was taking longer to set. It looks like it worked out great. I haven't made this in a long while, and I have berries in the fridge. Thanks for reminding me to make this tart. We love the crust. You have my "Lovely Blogger Friend and Honorary Daughter Award" from me every day. You are such a talented young woman. Thanks for the shout. xoxoxo

Plain Chicken said...

OMG - this looks great!! I think I have some blueberries in the freezer - need to try this.

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

Lemon and Blueberry sounds like a winning combination in my book! This looks great and since I have a freezer stocked with blueberries I'm making note of this recipe!

Avril said...

Monica!!!! Once again you have made me such a happy happy baker!!!! I just love the looks of this recipe!!! Can't wait to make it! :-)

Anonymous said...

this looks great! i have been in the same vicious cycle and now my freezer is overflowing and we can't make smoothies fast enough, so i'll give this a try!

anne
www.anniebakes.net

Kerry said...

I love the idea of a shortbread crust. That just sounds delicious. With blueberries & lemons too? Definitely adding this to my bake-as-soon-as-possible list.

Jeanette said...

Come live with me! Yum is all I can say.

Diane Schmidt said...

looks so delicious, I just love blueberries!

Janet said...

Your photos are gorgeous! And that tart... Heaven on a plate for sure!

Sue said...

This looks so good. I do the same thing with blueberries. I also just did the same thing with peaches...visited the orchard yesterday and have way too many to just eat.

Suzanne & Andrew Dupuis said...

I made this this afternoon! AMAZING! Thank you! I ck your blog EVERY DAY, and EVERY THING i have tied has been GREAT! Mine took 50 min to set as well!
-Suzanne

Janae Monir said...

This looks really good, but then again all your stuff does. I better get to this one while the blueberries are still available!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Monica, oh, Monica! My dear friend! This is right up my berry alley. :) I have lots of berries, purchased from Sam's, in my fridge. What a wonderful and yummy way to use some of them up. I haven't baked anything since I've been home. :( This and another pastry will be the first to come out of my oven.
~ingrid

Unknown said...

That looks amazing! I have a tendency to forget about fruit shoved in the back of the fridge soon.

SouffleBombay said...

I just bit the screen!
Monica I seriously think this is my favorite to date from you...the first free moment I have this week, I am sooooo making this!!!
You amaze me!!

Kerstin said...

Haha, I'm the same way at Costco! We can go through the strawberries and cherries really quickly, but blueberries take a bit more effort. This looks like the perfect way to enjoy them - yum!

Sarah said...

Thanx for the post, i really like your blog, keep it up.

Evan @swEEts said...

This looks absolutely delicious! I do the same thing with blueberries! I buy some, freeze them and then buy more because I forget.. but at least the end result are fabulous desserts like this!

Brooke said...

Yum! My hubby, and now our son are huge blueberry fans. The problem I have is that they are so expensive here (Australia). When they are in season though we usually have to get a punnet or two.

Gabby said...

This is such a delicious dish! I just love blueberries!

Sue Rogers7 said...

Thank you for this recipe! I made it in a 10 inch pan and it came out PERFECT in 30 minutes! I took it to my Friday night group and everyone raved over it! You are the Best!

Keeley said...

I have the same blueberry problem, but mine extends to strawberries, too! Will someone please keep me out of Costco?

I'd make this right now if I had a springform pan... it's on my list of things to buy.

Souffle Bombay said...

Just had to say...this was wonderful!!! I whipped up a mini one for myself yesterday in a tiny sprinkform pan I have...Dessert for 1! I cut the recipe down.
My husband will not eat cooked fruit, so I made it for me and loved every bite!
I did make him taste it and the kids as well...but for now looks like it is all mine! This is going to become a regular for me for sure...THANKS Monica!!!!!!

Jenny said...

didn't make the crust..just bought one. the filling was very sweet..i'll probably use a little less sugar next time..but it was good. thanks for sharing the recipe.

Mariah said...

Best fruit and yoghurt recipe I have found. Very versatile.

Leslie said...

Sweet baby jesus i want to omnom this right now!

Jane said...

I was looking for a basic cobbler recipe to use up the wild raspberries and blackberries that grow on my property. I used a mix of berries, but didn't make any other changes to the recipe and it was amazing. Thanks.

Theresa said...

I just love this tart!
I keep it in the fridge and everyonce in a while I sneak a "little" slice, reheat it in the microwave for 15 seconds and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream - yummy!

Thanks for sharing this great recipe!

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