Blueberry Orange Blossom Tarts are simply lots of blueberries layered over a thin orange blossom custard, baked as individual portions.
Blueberries Blueberries and More Blueberries!
Fruit pies and tarts are my absolute favorite desserts!
These blueberry orange blossom custard tarts are delicious year round and are loaded with flavor as a three bite dessert.
When other fruits are in season, such as cherries, peaches, raspberries, strawberries or figs, swap them out in place of the blueberries using this recipe, and you are sure to impress your guests… as well as yourself!
A few other fruit pies or tarts you may love as much as I do can be found in my collection here, but there are tons more so just go into menu and click pies. Too yummy for words!
- Farm Fresh Strawberry Tarts – of buttery pastry, cream or coconut milk custard and lots of fresh strawberries, are a delicious way to welcome spring!
- Quick Custard Raspberry Tarts – Quick Custard Raspberry Mini Tarts are perfectly formed in mini-tart pans, sweetened condensed milk and eggs, and baked to summertime perfection.
- Almond and Oat Fig Tart – Almond Oat Crusted Fig Tart with crushed almonds and oats in the crust, mascarpone and orange blossom custard, topped with lots of fresh figs.
- Olive Oil Blueberry Pie – A healthier Blueberry Pie with Olive Oil Crust and Crumble, you will not find, with crushed almonds, spelt flour, unrefined sugar and quality olive oil.
Blueberry Tarts
Whether a large gathering or only a few, an individual size dessert is the easiest way to serve something that feels very special and well… individual!
Unlike cakes and pies, which become messy the more slices you take from them, these little tarts were carefully prepared in advance.
They remain easy to serve and easy to store, should any be leftover. (wink)
Nuts About Nuts In My Pie Crust
You don’t have to put nuts in the pie crust, especially if allergies are a concern.
You can simply use oats, ground to a flour, instead.
You could also use a store bought pie crust but trust me, it won’t be as scrumptious, just quicker.
Nuts, in a pie crust, ground into a flour, to add to the flour you use, add more flavor and natural oils to the crust, making it flaky and light.
Blueberries
Since Blueberries are a ‘Superfood,’ loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C and potassium, why not incorporate blueberries into your pies, muffins and smoothies!
Blueberries in a pie hold their shape beautifully, unlike other berries which dissolve into an unrecognizable jam when they are cooked.
What Is Orange Blossom Water
The delicate, citrusy, and floral essence, a liquid distilled from the blossoms of the orange tree.
In the Middle Eastern cuisine, orange blossom water has been used to a sweet, aromatic flavor to desserts and drinks as well as savory dishes.
I have also come to enjoy adding it to the spritzer bottle of my facial mist and skincare, for its calming and uplifting aromatherapy properties.
Orange Blossom Cream
Having grown up in a Middle Eastern influenced home, orange blossom water and rose water where often used to flavor desserts instead of vanilla.
They emit a beautiful floral scent and delicate flavor as they are essence from the flowers. Just a little goes a long way.
To make a very fast cream for a tart, I simply whisk a few eggs, mascarpone, some sugar and a drizzle of orange blossom water. That’s it!
Mason Jar Lids As Tart Pans
That’s all, just the lid to those Mason jars that are now trending to use for so many things, including a glass to drink from.
You don’t even have to buy the Mason jar to get the lid, though depending on where you shop, you might find it more cost effective to just buy the jar with the lid. For example:
- Amazon sells the lids, 12 lids in a pack, just the lids, in a pack.
- Hardware stores, sell a pack of 12 Jars and lids.
- Farm supply stores also sell the lids during spring and summer seasons.
Kitchen Hack, mini tarts, cakes and bread buns are perfectly sized when baked in removable bottom, frugally affordable, Ball Mason Jar Lids.
How To Make Blueberry Tarts
Tart crusts can be made in advance, pressed into the lids and kept in the freezer until you are ready to bake with them.
This makes it easier and certainly faster on tart making day, so the attention can be given to the orange blossom cream filling and fruit.
Remove from the freezer an hour before baking, fill with tart cream, berries and bake.Â
If using a more delicate fruit, such as strawberries or figs, bake the crust with the cream then cool. Once the tart has cooled, top with the fruit of your choice.Â
Ingredients Needed
- Butter – unsalted and kept cold until ready to use.
- Flour – organic wheat flour works best though a gluten-free flour can be used as a substitute.
- Nuts – optional, or oats
- Sugar – a fine sugar that will be added to the pastry and the cream filling.
- Salt – fine Kosher salt.
- Eggs – one will be used in the pastry and two will go into the cream filling.
- Cold water to mix the pastry dough.
- Orange blossom water – keeps for a long time in the pantry.
- Mascarpone or cream cheese.
- Orange zest to enhance the essence of orange.
- Fresh blueberries are best though frozen can be used.
Equipment Needed
- Mason Jar lids or individual tart pans – my kitchen would never be without the Mason jar lids.
- Hand mixer or food processor to mix the pastry and then to mix the tart filling.
- Measuring cup and measuring spoons
- Rolling pin
- Pastry cutter to press the individual circles of pastry and then press them into the lids or tart pans.
- Oven for baking.
Blueberry Tarts with Orange Blossom Cream
Equipment
- Removable bottom tart pans or Mason jar lids
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- Crust
- 8 tbsp Butter cold
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour more for dusting
- 1/2 cup Nuts crushed *notes
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Eggs
- 2-4 tbsp Cold Water enough to form a dough ball
- Orange Blossom Cream
- 2 Eggs
- 8 oz Mascarpone or cream cheese
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Orange Blossom Water
- 1 tsp Orange zest
- 2 cups Blueberries fresh
Instructions
- Crust – With a fork, or in a food processor, incorporate the butter into flour until mixture becomes like coarse meal. Add crushed nuts, sugar salt and mix. Whisk in the egg and 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough comes together. Dough should not be sticky nor dry. Balance water and flour to achieve this.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Roll thinner than you ordinarily would a pie crust, about 1/8 inch thick. Press circles of dough with a cup the diameter of the sides and bottom of the lid, about 4 inches (if using Mason jar wide-mouth lids), and press the rounds into the lid. Crimp the edges and the crust is ready to fill and bake, or freeze in an airtight container.
- Orange Blossom Custard – Mix Orange blossom cream ingredients together and pour into prepared tart crust. Place the blueberries on top. Transfer the filled lids onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 400 for 5 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 350 and bake until the center is firm and no longer jiggling. About 20 minutes.Â
Video
Notes
- For nut allergies, oats can be substituted and crushed into a flour just like the nuts.Â
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.