Blueberry Cream Cheese Crostata Recipes

BLUEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• For the crust: Put the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade; pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until it is in small pieces and distributed throughout the flour. With the machine running, add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, then refrigerate 20 minutes.
• For the filling: Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest in a medium bowl; mix gently until the berries are evenly coated and glossy.
• To finish: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pour the filling into the center of the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border. Gently fold in the edges of the crust all along the circle. Brush the crust with egg and sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if using. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling just begins to bubble, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

BLACKBERRY JAM CROSTATA

Steps:

• Make the jam: In a medium saucepan, stir together blackberries, blueberries, sugar and lemon verbena, if using. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally at first, then more frequently as the mixture starts to bubble and reduce.
• When mixture has reduced and looks syrupy (about 30 minutes total), stir in lemon juice and zest. Taste and add sugar if necessary. (This depends on how sweet your berries were to begin with.) Cook for 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently to prevent burning. When the jam is thickened and shiny but still slightly runnier than you expect jam to be, take it off the heat; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Scrape jam into a bowl or heatproof container, stir in vanilla and let cool to room temperature. Taste and stir in a little more lemon juice if the jam seems very sweet. At this point, the cooled jam can be chilled for up to 1 week.
• Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, and set aside. In a second bowl and using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, salt and almond extract until combined, then beat in flour mixture.
• Scoop 1/2 cup of the dough into a bowl or container, cover and chill. Transfer remaining dough to a 9- or 10-inch tart pan and use floured fingers to press evenly into bottom and sides. Chill crust in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread jam evenly into crust, then using your fingers, crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough over jam. Sprinkle with almonds and Demerara sugar.
• Bake until golden, 38 to 48 minutes. Let cool completely to room temperature before serving.

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• BLUEBERRY FILLING: In a large bowl, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over blueberries. Add lemon juice and flour gently stir to coat; set aside.
• CRUST: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse meal. Add ice cold water, stir until a soft dough forms. Shape into a disk.
• Place the disk on a well floured surface; roll out into 12-inch circle. Transfer the circle to the prepared baking sheet.
• CREAM CHEESE FILLING: In a small bowl, beat together cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture over the dough leaving a 2-inch margin from the edge. Spoon the blueberries with liquid over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
• Fold dough up over the edge of the blueberries and pat down. Brush with milk and sprinkle with course sugar.
• Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Serve warm.
• Cook's Note: You can make this dessert even faster if you use a refrigerated pie crust from the grocery store.

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE CROSTATA

Steps:

• Pastry: Chill mixer bowl & paddle in freezer for 10 minutes.
• Cut butter into small pea sized cubes then put into freezer to keep cold.
• Combine flour, salt & sugar & add to mixing bowl & set mixer to medium low speed. Slowly add chilled butter a few cubes at a time until all butter is coated with flour & looking crumbly.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour the ice cold water in a thin steady stream into the flour mixture until a dough ball forms. The flour should drink most of the water but if the dough feels sticky add a little four to the outside of the ball before wrapping in plastic bag then place in fridge for 15 minutes.
• Filling: Place cream cheese, 4 tablespoons powdered sugar & vanilla into mixer bowl & mix on medium to combine well.
• Rinse & drain berries but leave them slightly damp.
• Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to berries in a bowl & combine.
• Roll out pastry on floured bench to fit onto a greased 16" pizza pan (for easy transfer to pan, fold dough in half then half again to a triangle or wedge shape then lift to pan & unfold).
• Spread cream cheese mix evenly over dough all the way to the edges. Pick up one piece of the dough's edge & fold in by about 1 inch toward the middle & about 3 inches long & continue all the way around (you are basically making a rough octagonal shape).
• Place the sugar coated berries evenly across the middle of the pie & use the remaining sugar syrup in the bowl & a brush to glaze the folded edge of the crust before placing into a preheated 400F (200c) oven for 30 to 35 minutes until pastry is golden.
• Cool to room temp, cut into 8 using pizza cutter & try to stop eating more than 1 piece !
• NOTE: If you are experienced at pastry you may think that the amount of water is way too much but PLEASE TRY IT. I am not a trained chef but I spend a lot of time experimenting & I find the high amount of water results in a lot of steam creating a beautiful flaky pastry without all the technical pastry folding.

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE CROSTATA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over blueberries. Gently stir to coat. Stir in lemon juice and flour. Set aside.
• Sift together flours in a medium bowl. Stir in salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Add olive oil and milk and stir until soft dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface. Roll dough out into 12 inch circle. Transfer dough to a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To prepare cream cheese filling, stir together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Spread cream cheese on dough leaving at least a 1 inch margin from the edge. Arrange blueberries over the top. Pour remaining liquid over the top of the blueberries.
• Fold dough up over the edge of the blueberries and pat down. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.
• Serve warm.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

GOOSEBERRY AND BLUEBERRY CUSTARD CROSTATA WITH BROWN SUGAR CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the dough: Grate the butter on a box grater and add to the bowl of a food processor with the flour, granulated sugar and kosher salt. Pulse to incorporate. Add the egg yolk and almond extract then pulse another few times. Add 3/4 cup of the toasted almonds and pulse to break up the almonds. Add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat and form the dough into a disc. Roll out the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle, dusting with more flour if necessary. Transfer the dough onto a floured sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
• Spray six 4-inch tart shells with removable bottoms with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into 5-inch circles and gently lay into the tart shells. Using your finger, press the dough into all edges of the tart shell, making sure the dough is completely flush against the mold. Run your rolling pin over the top to remove any excess dough from the top. Line the tart shells with foil and fill each with your baking beans. Make sure the foil is completely covering the dough or else it will burn in the oven. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove the foil and baking beans, then place back into the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
• For the custard: Add the heavy cream, 4 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Blend with an immersion blender. Set aside.
• Add the blueberries, gooseberries, the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cornstarch to a large bowl. Toss to combine to ensure the fruit is fully coated. Spoon the fruit into the baked tart shells and pour the custard over the top each, making sure not to overfill. Transfer the tarts into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the custard is set. Sprinkle each tart with some granulated sugar and torch with a blow torch to caramelize.
• For the mascarpone: Mix together the mascarpone, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• For the brown sugar caramel: Cut the butter into pats. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice into a medium sauté pan. Turn on the heat to medium and cook until it starts to get syrupy, thick and bubbly. Add the heavy cream and swirl the pan to combine. Whisk in one pat of butter at a time. Add the dark rum and bring back to a boil to cook off the alcohol.
• To serve, spoon some of the brown sugar caramel sauce onto the bottom of the plate. Place the tart on top followed by a dollop some of the mascarpone over the tarts. Garnish with the remaining toasted almonds.

BLUEBERRY-PEACH CROSTATA WITH BASIL CRUST

Steps:

• Use pulsing action of food processor to process flour, cream cheese and butter until mixture is well blended and forms dough that pulls away from side of food processor container.
• Transfer dough to work surface. Add half the basil; knead gently just until blended. Shape into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 425°F. Unwrap dough; place between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper. Roll into 12-inch circle. Transfer to parchment-covered baking sheet.
• Toss blueberries and peaches with dry pudding mix, lemon juice and remaining basil; spoon into center of crust to within 3 inches of edge. Fold edge of crust over fruit mixture, pleating edge as necessary. (Fruit mixture in center will remain uncovered.) Brush edge of crust with milk; sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake 35 to 40 min. or until crust is golden brown, and fruit mixture is hot and bubbly.

BLUEBERRY-CREAM CHEESE HAND PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, lemon zest, and egg until smooth. Toss blueberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, lemon juice, and flour.
• Lay 1 dough round on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cut into quarters. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon cream cheese mixture into center of each quarter. Spoon 2 tablespoons blueberry mixture on top. Brush edges with cream and bring opposite corners together to form triangles; trim if needed. Crimp edges to seal, brush tops with cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Repeat with remaining dough round and fillings. Cut a small vent in each pie and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on wire racks before serving.

GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY AND SWEET RICOTTA CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare 2 pieces of parchment paper large enough to cover a 9-inch round tart pan.
• Whisk rice flour, buckwheat flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, white sugar, and dark brown sugar together. Cut in butter with your fingers until fully incorporated. Mix in egg and egg yolk by hand. Knead until the dough comes together to form a ball.
• Roll out the dough between the 2 sheets of parchment paper until it is approximately 1/2-inch thick and large enough to cover the bottom and rim of the tart pan. Place the crust in the pan. Remove the top sheet of paper to poke holes with a fork. Replace the paper. Fill the pan with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake the tart shell on the bottom rack of the oven until slightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool, removing the weights. Keep the oven on.
• Meanwhile, whisk together ricotta, white sugar, dark brown sugar, and egg yolks in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour ricotta mixture over the crust and smooth out with a rubber scraper. Top with fresh blueberries.
• Bake until the blueberries and the ricotta cream are bubbly and beginning to brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool to set before serving.

BLUEBERRY CROSTATA

Steps:

• Defrost pie crust.
• Bring blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Dissolve cornstarch in water. Pour into berries until thick.
• Cool slightly.
• Place rolled out crust on a parchment paper or silpat lined cookie sheet.
• Place blueberry filling in the center of crust and spread to within about 2 inches of the edge.
• Fold the edges over.
• Bake about 30-35 minutes at 400°F.

RUSTIC BLUEBERRY AND FIG CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll pie crust out on a floured work surface to about 10 inches. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Combine blueberries, flour, sugar, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, and almond extract in a medium bowl. Mix well.
• Spoon blueberry mixture into the center of the pie crust, leaving about a 2-inch border. Place fig slices in the center in a circular pattern. Fold crust up all around the edge of the blueberries, crimping and pinching to create pleats.
• Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush edges of crust with mixture and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is crispy and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and set, 15 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.