As much as I love a classic blueberry pie, sometimes I feel like the heaviness of an ultra buttery crust and lots of sugar can sometimes overwhelm the delicate berries of summer. This twist (also vegan, I should add) lends a more short-bread like tart crust which is crunchy and sweet which allows the filling to have more zippiness than a typical blueberry pie, in part thanks to our friend lime and ginger doing some heavy lifting.
Don't get me wrong, I love a classic thicccc crusted blueberry pie, but this one is a lot less work and you can also invite whatever other summer fruits are in season to the party - welcome to the club stone fruit and other luscious summer berries.
Photo by Kelsey Ann Rose styling by me.
Crust
1 ½ cup AP flour
½ cup cornmeal
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup coconut oil
Filling
2 cups blueberries (plus more for garnish)
1 cup of blackberries (plus more for garnish)
1 nectarine sliced into wedges
1 tsp agar agar powder (optional)
1 Tb grated ginger
½ cup light brown sugar
2 Tb lime juice
2 Tb cornstarch ( + 2 Tb water to form a slurry) *3 Tb if not using agar agar
Zest of 1 lime plus another lime for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, confectioners’ sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the coconut oil, then use your hands or a spoon to combine ingredients until a dough forms.
2. Transfer the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (you can also use a springform), begin pressing it into the pan until it’s about a ½ inch thick on the bottom, and it’s coming up the sides about an inch. It’s helpful to use something flat to press into the shell (like a cup). Prick a few holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork. Place the tart shell onto a baking sheet and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
3. Put a large saucepan over medium heat and add in the berries, nectarines, agar, ginger, brown sugar, and lime juice. Begin to stir the berries - as they heat up begin to crush them slightly to release their juices. Continue to do this for about ten minutes until the berries release a lot of juices and you are able to stir the mixture easily as a “soupy” consistency.
4. Form a slurry with the cornstarch by stirring in two Tb of water into the cornstarch in a small cup or bowl and whisking until it comes together - pour into the fruit mixture and stir to incorporate. Add the lime zest into the mixture and continue to combine for another couple of minutes.
5. Pour the mixture into the baked tart shell, note that there might be more “filling” than can fit in the shell so just fill the shell enough so that there is still a solid ring of shell remaining. While the filling is still hot, arrange the fresh berries on top. Allow to cool until the filling is jelly-like, garnish with mint and lime zest. Remove from the tart shell and serve, excellent with a side of vanilla ice cream. Also good after chilling.
This blue bubble depression glass dish was also an heirloom from my nana! Absolutely love that she has been helping out in the props department. She's been loving seeing these dishes that are 70+ years old (her mother's, possibly even mother's mother's) be brought back to life in these photos.
As you can see by the photos, it can be tough to not get the filling all over the edge of the tart. You know what? I kind of like the messiness of it. It's a really REALLY simple dessert, seems fitting that it looks a bit thrown together, in my humble opinion.
I served this with a side of Oatly Raspberry Swirl frozen dessert (lol, I guess they can't call it "ice cream" technically). I got it on a whim, but to be honest it really impressed me. Favorite non-dairy ice cream I've had in a while, if I do say so.
Lime and blueberry belong together. Yes, lemon always has its place, but lime deserves a seat at the head of the table this summer.
Note that the crust has been inspired by a recent recipe published by Alison Roman on her version of a blueberry tart, very coincidentally published the day before this shoot and thought adding cornmeal into the crust would be a pretty solid idea.
Don't forget the zest on top, and ample amounts of fresh mint! Slap your mint! Get those essential oils blooming and filling your senses!
Also, what in the heck is agar agar? Glad I asked. It's actually a jelly-like substance that is derived from specific varieties of algae. FASCINATING RIGHT?! It's a great vegan option to use in lieu of gelatin. A little goes a long way, too much and you can accidentally make something rubbery. Amazing for making vegan jell-o type desserts.
Lastly, my mom actually went and picked blueberries (!) and made this tart, and it even got approval from my dad who isn't the biggest fan of trying new things. I am truly so grateful to have someone making my recipes!!!
