Two cups of fresh blueberries under a custard of eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla, baked inside a butter crust until the custard sets and the blueberries burst. The cinnamon and nutmeg in the filling warm the berries and the kitchen fills with a smell that is halfway between pie and creme brulee. I could eat a slice of this every June when blueberries are at their peak.
The tart bakes at 375°F (190°C) for 50-60 minutes. The custard should be set but still slightly wobbly in the centre when you take it out. It firms as it cools. Cool completely before slicing or the filling runs.
Tips for Making Blueberry Custard Tart
Make the crust by hand
Flour and salt, then cold diced butter cut in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. 
Press into a nine-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. This makes it easy to unmould the finished tart. Chill the shell for fifteen minutes before filling.
Pour the custard over the berries
Spread the blueberry mixture in the crust first. Then whisk eggs, cream, and vanilla in a separate bowl and pour it over the berries.
Pour slowly so the custard fills the gaps between the berries without overflowing. The berries float slightly. That is normal.
Super Simple Blueberry Custard Tart
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Enjoy this awesome and super simple blueberry custard tart recipe, courtesy of Tania Goulart.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt for the tart shell.
- Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until dough forms a ball.
- Roll out dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press dough into pan and trim excess.
- In a large bowl, combine blueberries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Spread blueberry mixture over the crust.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, cream, and vanilla extract.
- Pour custard over blueberries.
- Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until custard is set and lightly browned.
- Cool before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes. Do not thaw them. The frozen berries burst during baking and release more juice, which makes the custard slightly more purple and the bottom slightly wetter.
Can I use a store-bought crust?
Yes. A pre-made pie crust pressed into a tart pan works. The texture is different from homemade but saves thirty minutes of preparation.
How do I know when the custard is done?
The edges should be set and the centre should jiggle slightly when you shake the pan. It firms as it cools. Overbaked custard is grainy. Under-baked custard is runny.
The idea of this tart – simple ingredients, fruit and custard – makes it appealing. I liked it, but not sure if enough to make again. What I liked: the tart dough handled well, after overnight in the fridge. Used a 9” glass pie plate (not tart pan) and froze for maybe 15 min — it was solid (tried to move a wrinkle in the edge). If making again, I’d shield the edges from the beginning of pre-bake. Another thing I liked was that it wasn’t overly sweet. For filling I used 1.5 Tbsp brown sugar, but would double it next time. Even for someone who prefers things much less sweet, this was not sweet enough. And I didn’t add lemon zest, either! The sour cream filling and egg set but wouldn’t call the taste custard, but I liked that it kept the berries from oozing out. Though I had to break off the burned crust, the remaining crust was crisp and did not overpower the filling. It went well with vanilla ice cream, when still slightly warm.
I tried this filling recipe, using a tart shell I had already. I have to say I found the result practically inedible. I wonder if there are some mistakes in the recipe. First off — MOLASSES? The flavor just didn’t blend at all favorably with the rest of the flavors. Did the author perhaps mean “syrup” or “honey”? Molasses is dark, strong and overbearing in flavor. I can’t imagine why one would add it to this blueberry tart recipe instead of sugar or syrup. The custard “liquid” was very thick to start with — pure sour cream and an egg — and I didn’t care for the result of the base custard. On the whole, I have to say I think this recipe needs a closer look, perhaps some editing or rethinking.
Awesome tart – this looks SO good! I love berries with custard…really a great combo. :)