Monday, August 18, 2014

Easy-to-Make Cherry & Blueberry Tart



Every year during the very brief weeks when cherries are in season, I find myself dreaming about those juicy, succulent spheres of delight all day long. The cherries that are available here in Japan are different in taste, texture and even appearance than their American counterpart.

Japanese cherries are sweet with just a hint of tartness. The skins are extremely thin and fragile, which demands extreme care when handling. So when I decided to make a tart with them, I had no idea how they would turn out.


I also had a box of blueberries to use up before they spoil and thought it they would make a perfect complement to the cherries. In fact, I already had everything I needed because the ingredient list is a short one. Flour, sugar, butter and cornstarch. Oh, and ice water. Who knew making a tart could be so easy?


Now for the crust. I always prefer making my own and it's really a cinch to make. Of course you could go with a ready-made crust but if you do, try and get one that's high-quality for the best results. A bad crust can ruin a perfect pie! Actually a bad crust WILL DEFINITELY ruin a good pie!


I've kept this recipe simple without extra additions as I really wanted the fruits themselves to shine. If you like, you could add a dash of cinnamon or a hint of vanilla for additional flavor.



Ingredients :


Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
4 tablespoons ice water

Filling
2 cups fresh cherries (pitted)
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup blueberry jam or jelly
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions :


1. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Using your fingers, cut butter into dry ingredients until it's the texture of sand.
3. Add ice water to mixture. Mix until just mixed. Add more water if necessary.
4. Shape the dough into a flat ball and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Combine cherries, blueberries, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Stir to combine
7. Roll dough into a flat circle on a floured surface.
8. Prepare tart pan with non-stick spray or butter.
9. Place the pastry onto the tart pan, pressing with your fingers to create an eve crust.
10.Spread jam into crust.
11. Add fruit filling into crust. Top with additional sugar
12. Bake in a preheated oven at 375F/190C degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
13. Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar and serve with a scoop of ice cream for a special treat.

It's always important to let the pie cool down. I know it's difficult to do, especially when it's sitting right in front of you, but believe me it's for your own good. If you don't heed my warning, you'll burn your tongue and once you do, nothing will taste good for days! I speak from experience.:)

So what are some of your favorite kind of tarts? Do you think it's worth baking your own in the first place? I would love to know what you think.


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8 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Merry it's so nice to see you here. Thanks for the pin!

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  2. Bet your tart smells as good as it looks! We love blueberries and cherries, but I've never combined the two. I need to get brave and make my own crust, too (I tend to shy away from baking pies, but you've encouraged me about the crust). Thanks for sharing another outstanding recipe with absolutely amazing photos!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Susan. It's always wonderful to see familiar faces here especially after you know what. Don't let the crust scare you. Once you make it, you'll wonder why you didn't before.

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  3. The tart looks amazing, as does the blog. Wonderful!

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    1. Thanks Dawn. It's so nice to see you here :)

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  4. This is the first recipe that I have seen using jam over the crust. Love this idea!

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    1. Thanks Mary. Glad you like it. Let me know if you try it.

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As always, your comments are appreciated. Thanks!