Blueberry Almond Breakfast Tart Food

BLUEBERRY ALMOND BREAKFAST TART

Steps:

• For the berry filling: Add the sugar, pinch of salt and 2 (1/4-pints) blueberries to a saucepan. Zest the lemon over the top, then juice about 1 tablespoon and add to the berries. Give it a stir. Put on the stove about medium heat and cook until the berries release their juices and looks like jelly or jam.
• While that's happening, whisk your egg yolks and cornstarch together in small bowl. Stir into the berries and boil until nice and thick. Set aside.
• For the crust: Put your flour into a food processor, add the 1/2 cup almonds, the sugar, a pinch of salt and pulse until it's a fine meal. Add the egg yolk and cold butter (Cold butter makes the crust nice and flaky.) Add the extract and process the mixture until it turns into a little ball of dough.
• Press the dough nice and evenly into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze 1 hour or so to firm it up. Freezing will also help make a nice crispy tart after baking.
• Put a piece of parchment on the dough and fill it with dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes or so. This is called blind baking, which keeps the crust nice and flat and leaves plenty of room for the filling.
• Remove the beans and parchment and cook the crust until it's nice and golden brown, another 16 minutes. Let cool.
• Heat the black currant jelly and 1 tablespoon water in a saucepan to melt it.
• Pour the blueberry filling in the tart and spread out to the edges. Mound the remaining fresh blueberries over top. Brush the top with the jelly glaze. Take the remaining toasted almonds and sprinkle them around the edges. Place in the fridge to firm up.
• Remove the tart bottom, slice and serve.

BLUEBERRY CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Make the crust and topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add melted butter, then use your hands or a wooden spoon to combine ingredients until no dry spots remain.
• Press half of the cornmeal mixture into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (alternatively, use a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan, lined with parchment), making sure the mixture is evenly pressed on the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides. (Using something large and flat, like the bottom of a measuring cup, will be helpful.) Reserve the remaining mixture.
• Make the filling: Toss blueberries, brown sugar, vinegar, flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour the fruit into the crust.
• Crumble the remaining cornmeal mixture over the blueberries, pressing bits of the mixture together into large clumps as you go, as you would with a crisp or coffee-cake topping.
• Bake tart until the blueberry filling is bubbly and thickened, and both the crust and top are nicely browned, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let tart cool completely before slicing into triangles and serving. The tart can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature or refrigerated (especially if your kitchen is hot or humid).

BLUEBERRY ALMOND TART WITH FRANGIPANE

Steps:

• Frangipane:.
• in a medium saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a boil. Set aside.
• In another saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and beaten egg yolks.
• Gradually add the hot milk till combined.
• Cook slowly over low heat, stirring constantly, till cream thickens.
• (at this point, I put it through a strainer to get rid of any cooked-egg lumps).
• Pour the cream into a bowl and stir in the crushed macaroons. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Crust:.
• Preheat oven to 350. Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar; add the egg yolks, almond extract and lemon zest. Beat till smooth.
• Add the flour and baking powder and mix well.
• Using a 9 or 10 inch tart or springform pan with removable bottome, press 2/3 of the dough in the bottom of the pan with your fingers and work the dough up the rim about 1/2 inch. Set the remaining dough aside (refrigerating is a good idea - it may help rolling out later).
• Filling:.
• in a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, flour and cornstarch. Stir in the blueberries, sprinkle with lemon (and cinnamon if desired)and toss to coat blueberries evenly.
• Assembly:.
• spread an even layer of the frangipane in the bottom of the crust, using just enough to cover.
• Pour in the blueberry mixture and dot the top with 2 T of butter.
• On a floured surface, roll out the remaining dough to 1/16 inch thick (I found this dough quite moist and fragile, so sprinkle with flour).
• Cut strips of dough 1/2 inch wide and arrange them diagonally, 1/2 inch apart, to form a lattice top. Trim away overhanging dough.
• Bake for 40 minutes or till lightly browned.
• Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

FRESH BLUEBERRY ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, mix blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and almond extract.
• Remove crust from pouch; unroll on ungreased cookie sheet. Spread 1/4 cup of the almonds over crust; press lightly into crust.
• Spoon blueberry mixture onto center of crust to within 2 inches of edge of crust. Fold 2-inch edge of crust over blueberry mixture, crimping crust slightly. Sprinkle crust edge with sugar crystals.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes, sprinkling remaining 1/4 cup almonds over blueberry mixture during last 5 minutes of baking, until crust is golden. Cool slightly.