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Blackwell tart

Almond Blackberry tart with Vanilla Bean Crust

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
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
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.