Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Pie & Tarts Recipes Blueberry Tart 3.6 (216) 28 Reviews This simple dessert is all about the blueberries. You'll need 6 cups of berries for the filling. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 4, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Prep Time: 35 mins Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Servings: 10 Sometimes we take blueberries for granted. They're always available in the grocery store and are easy to add to yogurt, oats, or a smoothie. They're so omnipresent that we forget to make them the star of dessert. That's where this blueberry tart comes in. Blueberries are front and center in this sweet treat. A simple filling of cooked blueberries, sugar, and lemon is set in a buttery press-in shortbread crust and decorated with—you guessed it—more fresh blueberries. The sublime fruit tart is just right for a dinner party, a Mother's Day meal, or a birthday dessert for someone who prefers berries to cake. Pie & Tarts Recipes Tart Pans vs. Pie Plates A tart pan is not the same as a pie plate. Commonly made from metal, aluminum, or tin steel or ceramic, tart pans come in different depths but are generally shallower than pie pans. Their sides are straight or fluted, while pie plates have sides that angle out. Tart pans come in different sizes, including mini tart pans, also known as tartlet pans (their diameters are also larger than most pie plates). Not all tart pans are round—there are also square and rectangular tart pans. What to Use for This Recipe We recommend a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable base for this recipe. The pan has two parts—a ring and a base you can pop out. The removable base makes it easy to remove the tart from the pan and transfer it to a plate for serving. In a pinch, you could use a pie plate rather than a tart pan for this blueberry tart, but the presentation will not be as good—and it will be difficult to remove the tart from the pie plate. The crust is likely to break, so you'd need to slice the tart in the pie plate, rather than removing it to a plate whole for serving. Make Ahead This blueberry tart is a great dessert for entertaining, since you can prepare and bake the crust ahead of time; then make the filling and assemble the tart an hour or two before serving. Alternatively, you can make the entire dessert up to eight hours ahead and refrigerate. Blueberry Recipes Ingredients For the Crust 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting ⅓ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces For the Filling 6 cups (six ½-pint containers) fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ⅔ cup sugar Pinch of salt Directions Preheat oven and combine crust ingredients: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter; process until large moist crumbs form (dough should hold together when squeezed). Press crust into pan: Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; with floured fingers, press evenly into bottom and up sides. For perfect edges, fit the dough into the pan with your fingers. Holding a floured dry-measure cup with one hand, press dough firmly against the side of the pan, pushing down top of crust with thumb of other hand to level flush with the rim. Freeze crust: Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes; prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Bake crust: Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely. Cook blueberries for filling: Meanwhile, reserve 1 cup of the prettiest berries for topping. In a medium saucepan, bring 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 cups berries to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cornstarch and water to berries: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water; stir into berries in pan. Add lemon and sugar and cook: Add lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring, just until mixture begins to thicken, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in berries; pour filling into tart shell: Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups fresh berries. Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula. Add reserved berries and chill: Scatter reserved berries on top, pressing down lightly to help them adhere. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes and up to overnight. Add For an optional garnish, top with thin strips of lemon zest. Frequently Asked Questions Do you need to grease a tart pan? There's no need to grease a tart pan because the crust is buttery. This is also true for pie crusts. You do need to grease most cake pans, however. How do you cut a perfect tart? To cut a perfect tart slice, make sure the tart has cooled completely—otherwise, the filling may not be set when you cut into it. Use a sharp chef's knife or a pie server, and mark out two slices before lifting the first. Food stylists call this the law of the third cut; making the third cut ensures your first slice will come out cleanly. Other Blueberry Pie and Tart Recipes to Try: Blueberry Ricotta Tart Blueberry Slab Pie Blueberry "Bandanna" Tart Blueberry Pie Blueberry-Cream Cheese Hand Pies Originally appeared: Everyday Food, July/August 2005 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.