Berry Tarts Recipes

THE QUICKEST BERRY TART

Steps:

• You can make the pastry by hand, or in a food processor. If making it by hand, sieve the flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl from a height.
• Chop the butter into small cubes, then gently work the it into the flour and sugar with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Beat the egg and add to the mix with the milk and gently work it together using your hands until you have a ball. Don't work the pastry too much or it will become elastic and chewy, not crumbly and short.
• Sprinkle some flour over the dough and a clean work surface, and pat the ball into a thick flat round. Sprinkle over a little more flour, then wrap the pastry in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Lightly oil the inside of a 25cm non-stick loose-bottomed tart tin.
• Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour, then carefully roll out the pastry, turning it every so often, until you've got a circle about 0.5cm thick.
• Roll the pastry over the rolling pin, then unroll it into the tin, making sure you push it into all the sides.
• Trim off any extra pastry, and use it to patch any holes, then prick the base of the case all over with a fork, cover with clingfilm, and pop it into the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• Line the pastry case with a large piece of greaseproof paper, pushing it right into the sides.
• Fill the pastry case right up to the top with uncooked rice, and bake blind for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Take the case out, carefully remove the rice (save it for baking blind another time) and greaseproof paper, and return the case to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes, until it's firm and almost biscuit-like. Leave to cool completely.
• Finely grate most of the orange zest into a bowl and whisk with 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar and the cream until you get a silky mixture that forms soft peaks.
• Put half the berries into another bowl and use a fork to mash them up with the remaining tablespoon of vanilla sugar. Break up the meringue nests into rough pieces.
• Gently fold the mushed-up berries, and the meringue pieces, into the cream.
• Tip the cream mixture into the cooled tart case and gently shake it to help spread it out to the edges. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it out evenly, then sprinkle the remaining berries all over the top.
• Finely grate over the remaining orange zest and serve right away, with a dusting of icing sugar.

BERRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Using a 4-in. round cookie cutter, cut 12 circles, rerolling scraps as necessary. Press circles onto bottoms and up sides of ungreased muffin cups., Mix sugar and cornstarch; toss with berries and lemon juice. Spoon 2 tablespoons filling into each cup. Bake on a lower oven rack until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 24-26 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack; cool completely., For topping, beat cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, mix lemon curd, sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon whipped cream; fold in remaining whipped cream. Spoon over filling. If desired, top with fresh berries. Refrigerate until serving.

SUMMER BERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

MIXED BERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until a soft dough forms. Press dough into the bottom of the prepared pan; prick with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool; do not turn oven off.
• Place cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar; mix until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs; blend for 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice; mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into cooled tart shell.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling has set, about 25 minutes. Chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour. Top with berries and garnish with mint.

BERRY TARTS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Combine eggs, water and lemon juice until smooth; drizzle over flour mixture. Toss with a fork until mixture is moist enough to shape into a ball (dough will be sticky). Divide in half; shape into balls and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator; let stand 15 minutes before rolling. , On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into 3-in. circles. Ease into 2-in. tart pans, pressing pastry onto the bottom and sides of pan. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Cool. , Place three to four berries in each shell. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour and lemon zest. Stir in sour cream and egg yolk. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling over berries. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is set. Cool in pans for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

BLUEBERRY TART

Steps:

• Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• Combine 1 cup of the flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar and the salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some large lumps. Add the egg yolks and pulse until blended.
• Place the dough in the springform pan, and press it evenly against the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides. Toss 2 1/2 cups of the berries, the lemon zest, juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining 1 tablespoon flour and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Pour the berry mixture into the shell and bake until vigorously bubbling, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and immediately top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups blueberries.
• Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar by tapping it through a fine-mesh sieve. Serve warm or at room temperature.

STAR-STUDDED BERRY TARTS

Steps:

• Make the crusts: Pulse the flour, pecans, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Drizzle in 6 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Lightly flour a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the dough on the parchment into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Trim into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle (reserve the scraps). Cut into eight 3-by-4-inch rectangles. Separate the pieces slightly on the parchment, then use your fingers to crimp the edges. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet. Roll out the scraps until 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 8 stars using a small floured star-shaped cookie cutter; arrange on the baking sheet around the crusts. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Poke holes in the crusts with a fork. Brush the stars and the edges of the crusts with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk, the egg yolks, cornstarch and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Lay plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate 45 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the crusts to a platter. Spread the pastry cream on the crusts, then top with the berries. Top each tart with a star. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

EASY LEMON BERRY TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees.
• Place wonton wrappers in nonstick muffin tin, and lightly brush with butter.
• Bake for 7 minutes or until wrappers begin to turn golden brown on the edges.
• Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, and lemon filling.
• Once wonton wrappers have cooled, pipe filling into wonton wrappers, and top with your favorite berries.
• Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

BERRY TARTLETS

Steps:

• Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 piece to 1/8 inch thick. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated.) Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 8 rounds. Gently press into eight 2 1/2-inch round tart pans. Trim dough flush with top edge of pans. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line tart shells with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until surfaces are golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Remove tart shells from pans; spoon 2 teaspoons pastry cream into each. Top with berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with berry leaves, if desired.

MINI BLUEBERRY TARTS

Steps:

• Pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With processor running, add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms (do not process more than 20 seconds).
• Cut dough in half; shape each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day. Cut 1 disk into 12 pieces; on a lightly floured work surface, flatten each piece into a 2-inch round. Press a round onto bottom and up sides of each cup of a 12-cup nonstick mini-muffin tin. Repeat with remaining disk of dough and second muffin tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Add berries; toss to coat. Fill shells with berry mixture. Bake until crusts are brown and filling is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly in tins. Run a knife around tarts; remove from tins. Let cool completely on rack.

CANADIAN NORTHWEST TERRITORIES BERRY TARTS

Steps:

• SWEET PASTRY: In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, orange rind and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly.
• Whisk together eggs, water and lemon juice; drizzle over flour mixture, tossing with fork until moist enough to shape into ball (dough will be slightly sticky). Flatten into disc; wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Let soften to room temperature before rolling.
• On generously floured pastry cloth and using stockinette-covered rolling pin, roll out half of the pastry at a time to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 1/2 inch rounds; ease into shallow 2 3/4 inch tart shells. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Line each tart shell with foil; fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake in 400°F oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden and firm. Remove foil and weights; let cool.
• FILLING: In bowl, combine sugar, flour and orange rind; blend in sour cream and egg yolk. Spoon about 1 tablespoons berries (mossberries or wild blueberries) into each tart shell; cover with about 1 tablespoons filling and top with 3 or 4 berries. Bake in 350°F oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is set. Let stand for 1 minute. Remove from pan and let cool on racks. Makes about 24 tarts.
• The Canadian Living Entertaining Cookbook.

BLUEBERRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, butter, and powdered sugar together until a dough forms. Press dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, toss blueberries with cornstarch and place in a saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and lemon extract. Simmer, stirring gently to avoid crushing the berries, until sugar dissolves and filling thickens, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Pour blueberry filling over the cooled crust. Let cool before slicing.

FABULOUS THREE-BERRY TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place animal crackers in food processor; cover and process about 1 minute or until crumbs are finely ground. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press mixture in bottom and up side of ungreased 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon juice with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add whipping cream; beat on high speed 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Spread mixture in tart shell. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Arrange berries on chilled filling. In small microwavable bowl, microwave jam uncovered on High about 20 seconds or until warm. Stir in orange juice; mix well with fork. Brush strawberry glaze over berries.