Description
This Blueberry–Lemon Curd Tart is a delightful combination of a tender buttery crust, a tangy homemade lemon curd filling, and a sweet blueberry topping. The crust is chilled and baked to a golden perfection, supporting a smooth lemon curd that’s gently baked to a shiny, just-set texture. Topped with a fresh blueberry purée that’s thickened and set in the refrigerator, this tart is a perfect balance of bright citrus and sweet berries, ideal for a sophisticated dessert or special occasion treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (158g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (38g) confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
Lemon Curd
- ¼ cup lemon zest (from approximately 4 lemons)
- ½ cup lemon juice (from approximately 4 lemons), divided
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup honey
- Pinch kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Blueberry Layer
- 10 ounces (2 cups) blueberries
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon reserved lemon juice (from the lemon juice above)
Instructions
- Prepare Crust Mixture: In a bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. In a food processor, pulse 1 ¼ cups flour, ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt about 5 seconds to combine. Scatter 8 tablespoons chilled, cubed butter over the flour mixture and pulse about 15 times until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Form Dough: While the processor runs, pour the egg yolk mixture through the feed tube and process for about 12 seconds until the dough just comes together.
- Chill Dough: Turn dough out onto plastic wrap, shape into a 6-inch disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.
- Roll and Shape Dough: Remove dough from fridge and let soften for 10 minutes on countertop. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface into an 11-inch circle. Wrap around the rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Ease dough into the pan, pressing into edges and corners, and trim excess dough with the rolling pin.
- Freeze Dough: Wrap the dough-lined tart pan loosely with plastic wrap, place on a plate, and freeze for about 30 minutes until firm.
- Prebake Crust: Set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375ºF. Place tart pan on a baking sheet, line with double layer of foil covering the edges, and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, rotating halfway, until crust is golden and set. Remove weights and foil, then cool completely.
- Prepare Lemon Curd: Reduce oven heat to 350ºF. Reserve 1 tablespoon lemon juice for blueberry layer. In a medium saucepan, whisk remaining 7 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup lemon zest, 1 egg, 5 yolks, ⅓ cup honey, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and reaches 165ºF, about 5 minutes.
- Finish Lemon Curd: Remove from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons chilled butter until melted. Strain through fine mesh into a bowl, then gently fold in 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Pour warm curd into the cooled tart shell.
- Bake Lemon Curd Tart: Place tart on baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating halfway, until filling is shiny, opaque, and slightly jiggles when shaken. Transfer to wire rack and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Blueberry Purée: Meanwhile, process 2 cups blueberries in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing to extract about ¾ cup juice. Discard solids.
- Cook Blueberry Layer: Whisk in ¼ cup honey and ⅛ teaspoon salt. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water and whisk into the blueberry mixture. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened and temperature reaches 170ºF, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in reserved 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Assemble and Chill Tart: Pour blueberry mixture evenly over cooled lemon curd. Tap tart pan gently to release bubbles and refrigerate until blueberry layer is set and shiny, approximately 2 hours.
- Serve: Remove tart ring carefully, slide a thin metal spatula between tart and pan bottom, and transfer the tart onto a serving plate or board.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before rolling helps prevent shrinking during baking.
- Using pie weights during prebaking prevents the crust from puffing or shrinking.
- Temperature control during lemon curd cooking is vital to avoid scrambling eggs.
- Straining both lemon curd and blueberry purée ensures a smooth, silky texture.
- The tart is best served within 1 day of assembly but can be chilled up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: blueberry tart, lemon curd, homemade tart, baked dessert, blueberry lemon tart, summer dessert, fruit tart
