Sweet and Tangy Blueberry Lemon Verbena Tarts

Picture of a golden brown tart shell piled with creamy filling and fresh blueberries on a white plate with a fork

These luscious blueberry lemon verbena tarts are packed with fresh summer flavors that you can enjoy all year round

Photo of kitchen items including wooden mixing spoons, flippers, rolling pins, measuring cups, icing tips, graters, whisk, and cookie cutters, arranged on a wooden counter and viewed from above
Make sure you gather all your tools and ingredients before you start - you don't want to be scrambling mid-recipe to find something you forget!

You Will Need

  • Food processor
  • Hand mixer or
  • stand mixer
  • 6 x 3-in mini tart pans with removable bottoms
  • Large mixing bowl
  • 3 saucepans (1 small and 2 medium-large)
  • Fine mesh sieve or strainer
  • Mixing spoons
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Plastic wrap
  • Parchment paper
  • Pastry weights or dried beans for blind baking

    • Ingredients

    Pastry
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour
  • 1/3 cup icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, chopped
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp ice-cold water

     

    • Filling
  • 1 cup milk
  • 10 lemon verbena leaves or 4 lemon thyme sprigs
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1 egg + 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
  • 1 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberry jam
  • 2 tbsp water

    • Instructions

    1. Place flour and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the vanilla and butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

       

    2. Add the egg yolk and 1 tbsp iced water and process until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

       

    3. While the pastry is chilling, combine milk, lemon verbena or lemon thyme sprigs, and all but 2 tbsp of the caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and aside for 30 minutes to infuse.

       

    4. Combine beaten eggs, cornflour, and remaining caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk with your hand mixer or stand mixer until lightened and fluffy.

       

    5. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a simmer, then strain infused milk through a fine sieve into the egg mixture, discarding the herbs. Pour the mixture into a clean saucepan over low heat. Stir for 5-6 minutes or until smooth and very thick. Transfer to a bowl, press a layer of plastic wrap gently onto the surface to prevent a skin forming, and refrigerate.

       

    6. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease the tart pans. Divide the pastry into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece of pastry out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-in thick and press into the tart pans, trimming excess.

       

    7. Cover each tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pastry weights or dried beans. Bake for 8 minutes, remove weights and paper, and bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.

       

    8. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled custard.

       

    9. Combine blueberry jam and 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan and stir over medium until warmed through. Spoon or pipe the filling into the tart shells and top with blueberries. Drizzle blueberry sauce over tops and serve.

       

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