Blueberry Almond Shortbread Tart

Okay!  Winner winner chicken dinner!!!!  This dessert is fabulous!  Friend and neighbor Cari (the consummate baker!) made this tart for a get together last night.  Died and gone to heaven.  Or as hubby said - his favorites are anything lemon or banana or coconut (all of which she made last night as well)- and this dessert even topped them!

It is a little time consuming but so worth the effort.  You need a spring form pan and a food processor makes it a lot easier.

I served it with a coconut gelato and a bit of blueberry sauce for garnish.

Blueberry Almond Shortbread Tart

Shortbread Tart Dough

1 recipe below

Almond Filling

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 cups fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping

3/4 cup cold butter
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare one recipe of Shortbread Tart Dough.  Gently press it evenly into a 1/4 thick shell on the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 10-inch spring form cake pan.  Line a small tart tin with the remaining dough.  Wrap the small tart shell in plastic and freeze to use at another time.  Place the unbaked shell onto a sheet pan and set aside.

Almond Filling

Finely grind the almonds with the sugar in a food processor.  Add the butter, eggs, flour and vanilla and process briefly again to mix well.  Spread the almond filling into the prepared crust.  Top the almond filling with the blueberries.

To Prepare the Crumb Topping

Cut the cold butter into small pieces and place into aa food processor.  Add the flour, brown sugar and the cinnamon.  Process briefly until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add the almonds and process briefly again.  Be sure not to over process.  The mixture should remain crumbly.  Pile the streusel toppings onto the top of the tart.

To Bake

Bake the tart on he sheet pan or baking sheet in the fuly preheated oven for about 1 hour or until the tart crust starts to turn golden and the filling is set around the edges.  A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.  Remove from the sheet pan and cool to warm before removing from the pan for serving.



Marilyn's notes:  My tart pans are 8"- and I found there was enough filling to do two tarts albeit one a little less full than the other.  Tons of the streusel topping left over- would be perfect for a cobbler for another time.  I used one grocery box of blueberries for my two smaller tarts.