Blueberries may be described approvingly as nutrient-dense and low-calorie, but most of us are just pleased that at the peak of their season they taste so good.
Fresh fruit can be a no-work dessert eaten as is, sprinkled with sugar, drizzled with cream. Yet it takes only a little more work to turn the fruit into a seemingly dressed-up dessert – as in this blueberry cheese tart flavored with lemon curd.
You can buy the pie crust ready made. But the creamy curd, a smooth, thick sauce sold in the jams and jellies sections of supermarkets, is simplicity itself to make and the homemade version has a taste as fresh as the berries.
Lemony blueberry cheese tart
19-inch frozen pie crust, thawed
18-ounce container (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, or 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
5tablespoons lemon curd (recipe follows)
2cups fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Press the pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, or leave in the original aluminum pie tin. With the tines of a fork, pierce the bottom and sides. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes; refrigerate until cool, about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together cheese and 3 tablespoons of the lemon curd until smooth. (If mixture is too thick to spread, stir in a small amount of milk.) Spread mixture in the bottom of the cooled tart shell.
In a medium-size bowl, gently stir the blueberries and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon curd until thoroughly combined. Spoon the blueberries evenly over the mascarpone layer. Cover and chill 2 hours. To serve, remove the sides of the tart pan, if used; cut into wedges.
Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 290 cal., 2.8 g pro., 19.8 g fat, 26 g carbo., 122 mg sodium, 28.4 mg chol.
Created for AP by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Lemon curd
3large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1cup sugar
1stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
2teaspoons finely grated lemon peel (yellow part only)
1/3cup fresh lemon juice
In the top of a large double boiler, lightly whisk eggs, yolk and sugar; stir in the butter, lemon peel and juice. Place pan over simmering water over medium-low heat; cook, stirring frequently, until thick, about 20 minutes. Strain and cool. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers for another use.
Makes 21/4 to 21/2 cups.
Adapted from a recipe by Maida Heatter
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
