Almond Blackberry Tart With Vanilla Bean Crust

This Almond Blackberry Tart is elegant and amazing.

When I want to have friends over for a nice dinner and really want to have a fancy dessert, I make this tart. It is easy to make and looks fantastic. Full of ground almonds and bursting with blackberries, this tart is elegant and tasty without being too rich. If you love almonds and blackberries, it is the perfect tart any time of the year. Blackberries can be found fresh in stores all year round now so it can be thrown together without much fuss anytime.

This is my version of the classic Bakewell Tart that is popular across the pond in the UK. The tart is a variation of Bakewell Pudding, a very sweet almond filled dessert associated with the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire, England starting in the early 1800s. There is a bakery there that keeps their recipe for the Bakewell Pudding a closely guarded secret.  Descriptions of The Bakewell tart began showing up in publications in the early 20th century.

In the traditional tart, there is a layer of jam spread across the tart shell before adding the almond frangipane filling. And sometimes there is a layer of fondant on top. I’ve replaced the jam with fresh blackberries, which I have found to be delicious, you could substitute raspberries if you desire. But I love the earthy flavor of the blackberries in this the tart. By omitting the jam and adding whole berries, this tart is not quite so sweet, and I think much more elegant. The crust is scented with vanilla and lemon and would be an awesome crust for any tart. This Almond Blackberry Tart is elegant for an amazing dinner party and yet simple enough for a family meal or tea.

Here’s a little tip If you can’t find blanched almonds or if you have a bunch of whole raw almond laying around. You can easily blanch almonds by boiling whole raw almonds for 1 minute in rapidly boiling water. Drain, let cool for a few minutes, and the skins will easily slip off the nuts by squeezing each almond. It only takes a few minutes to skin the 2 ½ cups of almonds needed. Just be careful sometimes the almonds can shoot across the room as they are popped out of their skins. It can be an adventure!

I have used an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom that a dancer from the Lion King gave me as present when he went on a trip to Paris. I’ve treasured it and loved using it on many occasions. You can find one on Amazon here if you can not find one near you. It could be divided up between 2 9-inch tart pans. But it think it is spectacular in an 11 inch one. Let me know in the comments below if you make this awesome tart.

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Almond Blackberry tart with Vanilla Bean Crust

Prep Time

2 hrs

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 45 mins

 

An awesome tart, filled with ground almonds and blackberries. The crust is scented with vanilla bean and lemon zest.

Course: Baking, Dessert, Teatime

Cuisine: British

Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the crust

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, about 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, or the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons milk, whole of low fat

For the filling

• 12 oz blanched almonds, about 2 1/2 cups
• 21 tablespoons butter, 2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups fresh blackberries, about 12 oz
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Sweetened whipped cream for topping, optional

Instructions

First, make the pastry:

1. Combine the 5 tablespoons butter, the powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. 

2. Process until creamed together. 
   

3. To the creamed butter, add the egg yolks, the lemon zest, and the vanilla bean paste. Pulse until thoroughly combined.
   

4. Add the all-purpose flour and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. 
   

5. Sprinkle the cold milk over the flour and butter mixture. Pulse until the dough is just beginning to come together. 
   

6. Transfer to a work surface and gently work the dough together until you have a ball of dough. Try not to overwork the dough, as it will become tough. 
   

7. Shape the dough into a long cylinder and wrap in plastic wrap. 
   

8. Let the dough chill for an hour or more. 
   

9. Slice the cylinder of dough into thin pieces and press them into an 11-inch tart pan, making sure the whole surface and the sides are covered in dough. Smooth out the dough to make an even crust.
   

10. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. 
    

To assemble the Tart

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
   

2. When the oven has preheated, place the crust directly from the freezer into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown. 
   

3. Remove from the oven and turn the oven down to 325° Let the crust cool for 10 – 15 minutes while you make the filling.
   

4. To make the filling, in a food processor, pulse the blanched almonds until you have a fine grind, almost to a powder. Be careful you don’t just process the almonds to far as it becomes almond butter. Transfer the processed almond to a mixing bowl.
   

5. Process the butter and sugar until light and creamy in the food processor, add the eggs and process until smooth. 
   

6. Fold the butter mixture into the almonds. Blend until smooth and thoroughly mixed together. 
   

7. Let the filling chill for about 10 minutes to firm up slightly before filling the tart shell. 
   

8. Spread the almond mixture into the cooled tart crust.
   

9. Evenly distribute the blackberries over the almond filling.
   

10. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top.
    

11. Bake the tart for about 45 minutes or until the tart has become firm and golden on the outside but still slightly soft in the middle. 
    

12. Let cool for 30 minutes.
    

13. Serve with sweetened whipped cream if desired.