Blueberry Tart from Stardew Valley

TOP SECRET :

Here’s the recipe for my famous blueberry tart. Don’t tell anyone! I’m giving it to you because we are such good friends.—Pierre

This is the only recipe you learn from Pierre the general store owner in Stardew Valley.  It doesn’t take too long, either: you only need a 3-heart relationship before he sends it to you in the mail!

Even more surprising, this is one of Linus’s favorite treats.  I didn’t think a man living in the wild would love such a bakery style sweet.

It’s totally understandable to love this tart though.  If you make your own dough, it’s light and flaky with hints of lemon and almond from the zest and extract.  And the filling? Sweet and sour with some warming cinnamon spice. All in all, a perfect celebration of summer (or the bittersweet end of it)!

Concerning the Crust

This is a pretty basic pie crust similar to the one used in other recipes like rhubarb pie here on the website.  Despite the extra flavorings, it’s even more forgiving to use here, and can be altered to suit dietary needs.  Allergic to nuts? Use vanilla extract! Can’t have alcohol? Use vanilla bean or leave out the extra flavoring entirely.  Dough break a little as you roll it out? Patch it into the pan piecemeal! No one has to know except you.

If you’re short on time and confidence in your pastry skills, feel free to use store bought pie dough.  Please do consider adding the lemon zest and almond extract to the filling instead; they subtly round out the flavors of the blueberries.

And when you’re fitting that crust into the tart pan, try to use a dish with a removable bottom because it will make lifting the cooked pastry out so much easier.  Trust me.

Don’t forget to save an unused egg white for a rainy day by freezing it!

Balanced Blueberry Filling

Fresh blueberries are best for this particular recipe, if you can find them.  Frozen blueberries will be fine, as long as they are thawed first, but you might want to leave out the fresh blueberry garnish on top as the texture of the thawed berries might be too soft.

The taste of the berries may vary so be sure to test a few to determine their sweetness or sourness (this is the fun part).  My blueberries were young and tart, so I used ¾ cup of granulated sugar, but if yours are sweeter you can lower the sugar to ⅔ cup.

To Serve Tart

Have you always wondered how fancy bakeries get their French fruit tarts so shiny and beautiful?  Well wonder no longer! I’ve included instructions below on how to replicate the appearance. The tart would still look beautiful without an apricot jam glaze, but it is a nice touch and any jam you choose can add extra flavor.

Alternatively, if you want to decorate the tart but making a glaze sounds like too much effort, a light dusting of powdered sugar would also be pretty and tasty.

And to top it off? Try serving it with something creamy like crème fraîche or homemade ice cream!

Do you guys like blueberry desserts?  What would you serve this one with? Let me know in a comment below, and consider joining my Patreon to support the blog and pick what I write about next!

Makes 1 9-inch tart; serves 8

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

2-3 tablespoons cold water as necessary

Zest of 1 lemon (1 tablespoon)

½ teaspoon almond extract

For the filling:

4 cups fresh blueberries, divided

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

For garnish, optional:

½ cup apricot jam

1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

1. To make the crust, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and lemon zest in a food processor.  Pulse to combine.
2. Finely chop the cold butter and add it to the dry mix.  Pulse until a coarse crumb mixture forms.
3. Mix the egg yolk with the almond extract and 1 tablespoon of ice cold water.  Pour it into the food processor and pulse until the dough forms a solid ball, adding more water to moisten as necessary.  Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. To make the filling, lightly mash 2 cups of the blueberries in a bowl, then add in the sugar, corn starch, and cinnamon.
5. Roll out the tart dough and fill the 9-inch tart pan, pressing into the fluted edges if there are any.  It’s fine if the dough breaks a little, just patch it into the tart pan. If the dough is warm, pop the tart pan into the freezer for a few minutes.
6. Evenly spread the blueberry mash over the crust, then top with another cup of whole blueberries.  Place the filled tart pan carefully on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit on the bottom rack for 40-45 minutes or until the crust has browned and the filling is bubbling.
7. Remove the tart from the oven and top with remaining fresh blueberries; allow it to cool.
8. For the optional apricot glaze: as the tart cools, heat the apricot jam and water in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 second increments until it appears thin and runny.  Gently brush the fresh blueberries with the apricot glaze for that iconic fruit tart shine.  A pastry brush works best.