Blackberry Earl Grey Tarts Recipe
Introduction
These Blackberry Earl Grey Tarts offer a delightful blend of sweet, tangy blackberries and the aromatic depth of Earl Grey tea. With a tender tart crust, rich pastry cream, and luscious blackberry filling, they make an elegant dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- Blackberry Filling: 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (to make 1 cup purée), 1 ½ tsp water, ¾ tsp unflavoured gelatin, ½ cup sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, pinch kosher salt, 1 tsp lemon juice
- Earl Grey Pastry Cream: 2 cups milk, 1 vanilla bean (split), 2 Earl Grey tea bags, 4 egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, 4 tbsp cornstarch, pinch kosher salt, 2 tbsp butter
- Tart Dough: 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 stick cold butter (diced), 1 egg yolk, 3 tbsp cold water
- To Assemble: ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, fresh blackberries for garnish
Instructions
- Step 1: Make the blackberry filling by blending the blackberries in a food processor, then straining through a fine mesh to remove seeds. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then whisk into the purée with lemon juice. Bloom gelatin in water, then add to the purée and cook on medium-low heat until thickened. Chill the filling with cling film on top for at least 6 hours.
- Step 2: Prepare the Earl Grey pastry cream by heating milk with vanilla bean and tea bags, then steeping for 20-30 minutes. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until thick. Gradually add hot milk to egg mixture, then cook on medium heat, whisking until thick and bubbling. Remove from heat, whisk in butter, cover with cling film, and chill.
- Step 3: Make the tart dough by pulsing flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold butter and pulse until pea-sized. Mix egg yolk with water and add while pulsing until dough clumps. Press dough together, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Step 4: Preheat oven to 400° F. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/6 inch thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than tart pans and line pans, pressing dough and trimming edges. Prick dough with a fork. Bake with pie weights covered by foil for 20 minutes, then remove weights and bake 5–7 minutes more until golden. Cool and remove from pans.
- Step 5: Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold one third into pastry cream to smooth, then gently mix in remaining cream. Pipe or spoon a layer of blackberry filling into tart shells, then top with pastry cream decoratively. Chill until ready to serve and garnish with fresh blackberries.
Tips & Variations
- Use frozen blackberries if fresh are unavailable; thaw and drain excess liquid before blending.
- For a caffeine-free version, substitute Earl Grey tea bags with vanilla or chamomile tea.
- Chill tart dough as long as possible to prevent shrinkage during baking.
- Try adding a sprinkle of toasted almonds on top for extra texture.
Storage
Store assembled tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To keep the crust crisp, assemble just before serving or keep tart shells separate and fill them as needed. Reheat unfilled tart shells briefly in a warm oven before filling if desired.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I make the tart dough ahead of time?
Yes, tart dough can be prepared, shaped, and chilled for up to 2 days before baking. Wrap tightly to prevent drying out.
What can I substitute for gelatin in the blackberry filling?
If you prefer a vegetarian option, you can use agar-agar, but adjust the quantity according to the package instructions as it sets differently than gelatin.
PrintBlackberry Earl Grey Tarts Recipe
These elegant Blackberry Earl Grey Tarts combine the bright, tangy flavor of fresh blackberry filling with a smooth, aromatic Earl Grey infused pastry cream, all nestled in a tender, buttery tart shell. Perfect for special occasions or an indulgent treat, these tarts showcase a harmonious balance of fruity and floral notes with a creamy texture and crisp crust.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 individual tarts (3¾ inch) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Blackberry Filling
- 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, to make 1 cup purée
- 1 ½ tsp water
- ¾ tsp unflavoured gelatin
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Earl Grey Pastry Cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- pinch kosher salt
- 2 tbsp butter
Tart Dough
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 stick (8 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tbsp cold water
To Assemble
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- fresh blackberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Blackberry Filling: Blend the blackberries in a food processor until smooth. Strain the purée through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with a spatula to remove seeds completely. Transfer the seedless purée to a small saucepan. In a cup, bloom gelatin by combining it with water; set aside. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and kosher salt together separately, then add to the blackberry purée along with lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until mixture bubbles and thickens. Stir in bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Pour into a bowl, cover surface with cling film, and chill for at least 6 hours until firm.
- Make Earl Grey Pastry Cream: Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add split vanilla bean and Earl Grey tea bags. Once it reaches a gentle simmer, remove from heat, cover, and steep for 20 to 30 minutes. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until thickened and pale. Whisk in cornstarch and kosher salt to the egg mixture. Remove vanilla bean and teabags from milk; reheat milk gently. Temper egg yolk mixture by slowly adding warm milk in batches while whisking. Pour mixture back to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it boils and thickens considerably. Remove from heat, whisk in butter until smooth. Cover pastry cream with cling film directly on surface and chill until cold.
- Prepare Tart Dough: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and kosher salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse peas. Whisk egg yolk with cold water and add to the food processor while pulsing until dough clumps together. Gather dough, press into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Bake Tart Shells: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly flour a surface and roll chilled dough to 1/6 inch thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than tart pans (3¾ inch). Line tart pans with dough, trimming edges and pricking bottoms with a fork. Place pans on baking sheet, line with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, remove weights and foil, bake additional 5-7 minutes until light golden and cooked through. Cool, then remove tarts from pans.
- Assemble Tarts: Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold one-third of whipped cream into chilled pastry cream until smooth and lump-free. Gently fold in remaining whipped cream. Transfer pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a V-shaped tip or star tip. Spoon a layer of blackberry filling into each tart shell, then pipe the pastry cream decoratively over the filling. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh blackberries just before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen blackberries; if using frozen, thaw and drain excess liquid before blending.
- Chilling the blackberry filling and pastry cream thoroughly enhances texture and flavor.
- Make sure butter is very cold when cutting into the flour to achieve a flaky tart crust.
- Tart shells can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can spoon the pastry cream onto the filling but piping creates a more beautiful presentation.
- Ensure the cling film touches the surface of fillings to prevent a skin from forming during chilling.
Keywords: blackberry tart, Earl Grey tart, pastry cream tart, berry dessert, French tart, summer dessert, tea infused dessert
