Indigo jones

Summer tarts are a perfect ending to a great meal. While they are simple to make, adding a creative touch makes them special and personal. I love to cut freeform leaves and berries to top my blueberry tart, instead of the standard latticework. Try your own variation, using flowers, stars or other shapes to create an interesting and delicious tart topper that is truly “upper crust”.

Shari’s blueberry tart:
Pate brisee:
2 sticks of butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups of flour
a generous pinch of salt and sugar
Put ingredients into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until mixed.
With the motor running, add ice cold water, a tablespoon at a time until it forms a dough. ( usually about 4-5 tbs or so).
Gather the dough into a ball,wrap in plastic, and chill briefly before rolling.
Most people suggest chilling the dough for a longer period of time. I find it gets too hard, and prefer to roll it when it is cold, but hasn’t started to firm up yet.
I always roll on wax paper that is floured, so I can lift the crust up easily and just peel the paper away.

For the top crust, roll the dough out, and cut shapes as desired. While I like to create these by hand, you can also use small cookie cutters to get a similar and more uniform effect. Chill motifs as you go, as those small pieces will be easier to arrange when they are a bit firmer.

Filling:
3 pints of blueberries
1 cup of sugar
½ cup of flour
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Mix ingredients. Fill the bottom crust with fruit mixture.
Arrange topping elements artfully. Brush with an egg/water mixture and bake @400 for about 50 minutes until the crust is brown and the fruit is bubbling.
Be sure to set the tart on a cookie sheet as it is likely to run over a bit.
Let it cool before removing from pan
Did you create a unique “upper crust”? Share it with us!

photo:SpencerJones/Glasshouse Images