So, it’s the day after the 4th of July. We know you still have plenty of fireworks. You’re definitely not tired of wearing your American flag shirt (and/or pants, depending on your dedication.)
Keep the celebration going with this totally delicious pie from Alice Medrich’s Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts.
Easy Blueberry Tart
Serves 8 to 10
Something between an American pie and a French tart, the combination of raw and cooked berries (with just enough goop) in a sweet, crunchy crust appeals to everyone. A la mode is good too. The filling takes less than ten minutes to make.
- 4 cups blueberries
- Crust, baked and still in the pan (recipe follows)
- ¾ cup (5.25 ounces) sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Grated zest of 1 small lemon
For the crust:
- 10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (1.75 ounces) sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 ¼ cups (5.625 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
To make the crust: Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix the flour and baking powder together thoroughly, add to the butter mixture, and mix just until well blended. If the dough seems too soft and gooey, let it stand for a few minutes to firm up.
Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan to make a thin, even layer. This takes a bit of patience, as there is just enough dough. Press the dough squarely into the corners of the pan to avoid extra-thick edges. (The crust can be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead to this point, wrapped, refrigerated; bring to room temperature before baking.)
Put the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is fully golden brown all over. If the crust puffs up during baking, gently press it down with the back of a fork and prick it a few times.
Spread 2 cups of the berries in the tart crust and set aside. Combine the remaining 2 cups berries with the sugar, water, flour, salt, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Then simmer, stirring, until the filling is thickened and translucent, about 2 minutes.
Scrape the hot mixture into the crust, covering the raw berries, and use a fork to spread it evenly without mashing the whole berries. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least an hour, until the filling is set.
Serve the tart cold. Remove the sides of the pan and transfer the tart to a serving platter. The tart is best on the first day, but leftovers are quite food the following day.
Excerpted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2012. Photographs by Sang An. Read our review of this book.
