Blueberry Tarts

While reading all my blogs last week I came across this post on Chew On That about baking a Fruit Flan. I've always though of flan as the Spanish cream dessert but I guess it can also be an open pastry filled with fruit. To me this really looks like a tart, does anyone know if there is a difference? Anyway I was attracted to the recipe because the dough doesn't need to be refrigerated before using which makes for a quicker assembly.

I decided to size the recipe down to make four individual tarts to serve as a dessert for my parents last night. Oh, was it good! The crust was wonderfully flaky. The cinnamon in the blueberry filling really came through to give it a nice warm flavor. The almonds under the filling added a chewiness that everyone really enjoyed.

Because these were super simple to make & the recipe can easily be cut in half to make two tarts I'll be making them more often for Matt & I, with whatever fresh fruit is in season.

Blueberry Tarts

Crust

3/4 c flour
6 oz cold unsalted butter
1 1/2 T cream
1 1/2 T sugar
1/4 t salt
2 T chopped nuts (I used some slivered almonds that I broke up)

Filling

1/4 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t cornstarch
1 c blueberries (or other fruit of your choice)
1 T unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a food processor, pulse the sugar & butter together until the butter is in small pieces. Add in the cream, sugar, & salt, pulse to mix. Use your hands to bring the dough together. Split into four pieces & press into the bottom of four 4.5-inch tart pans with removable bottoms. Try not to handle the dough more than necessary to keep it at its flakiest. Sprinkle the nuts over the bottom of each of the pans.

Mix the berries, sugar, cinnamon & cornstarch together. Spoon into the four prepared pans. Cut the butter into small pieces & dot the top of the tarts.

Place the tart pans on a cookie sheet & bake for 45-60 minutes, the crust should be a golden brown. Allow the tarts to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pans then remove to finish cooling or serve.

These were perfect at room temperature with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream.

Serves 4 (cut recipe in half to make 2)