If you love a quick, easy yet impressive dessert, then these Blueberry Tarts are for you!
The recipe uses puff pastry which is super simple to work with but you need to know a few things about it. Puff pastry is basically flour and butter so if it gets warm, you won’t be able to work with it. You buy it frozen at the grocery store but you can thaw it in about 40 minutes on your counter or overnight in your fridge (recommended). The main thing is to keep it cold while you’re working on it.
Puff pastry is made by mixing up a simple dough of flour and water. A slab of butter is placed on top and you fold the dough over the butter and roll it out flat. You continue to roll and fold and your finished dough will have more than 1,000 layers! When baked, the water and butter create steam which puffs up the layers and as the layers separate, the pastry gets a light, flaky texture.
You can make it yourself but it’s tricky and time consuming. It’s much easier to buy it. My favorite puff pastry is made by Dufour (I get it at Whole Foods), but Pepperidge Farm works well and is widely available. It will come folded in thirds and it must be fully thawed yet still cold before unfolding.
Another tip when using puff pastry, always, always have a well-floured surface to work on! It’s delicate and needs a light, quick touch!
Here’s the recipe:
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into 18 pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling on baked tarts
- Mix blueberries with the sugar, flour, salt, lemon juice and zest. Stir to coat berries. Set aside.
- Thaw puff pastry for 40 minutes (if not previously thawed) and when thawed but still cold, gently unfold the first sheet and lay flat on a lightly floured surface. Refrigerate the other sheet to keep cold.
- Cut each sheet into 9 squares, 18 total.
- Grease your muffin tins.
- Place one square in each muffin tin and press it in. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom to prevent a bubble from forming.
- Add blueberry mix about halfway up each section. Add one piece of butter to each and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until tarts are golden. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar or add a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy the sweet, crispy goodness!
Kate’s Tips
- I usually roll my puff pastry a bit to make it a little bigger so the squares fit more easily in my muffin tin. Make sure your rolling pin and work surface are well floured.
- Work quickly! Puff pastry will warm up before you know it.
- If the pastry is getting warm, put it back in the fridge for ten minutes or so to firm up.
- I add about a teaspoon of blueberry jam to each tart. It adds some sweetness and a deeper flavor.
- Use any berries you like. I think blueberries hold up the best but use whatever is in season.
- Bake the tarts by themselves then fill with whipped cream and top with fresh strawberries or raspberries and a sprinkle of sugar for a lovely dessert.
- These would be great with chopped apples mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon in the fall.
- You can also make amazing appetizers with puff pastry. Cheese, ham, veggies, sausage…tons of combos!
- Use a pizza cutter to cut your squares evenly.
- Since it’s berry season, check out my recipe for Blackberry Slab Pie or Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes!
