The article - Blueberry Crostata – A Fruit Tart For Any Occasion - appeared first on Analida's Ethnic Spoon - Analida's Ethnic Spoon - Create easy ethnic recipes from around the world and learn about the best international cuisine.. Enjoy!
A crostata or galette is a rustic dessert. It’s pie Dough wrapped around fresh fruit and baked to delicious goodness. I consider blueberry crostata a “healthy” dessert, since it is mostly fruit, right?
I love making blueberry crostata. Without being a good baker I was successful the very first time! YAY. Even my husband, the designated baker, was impressed with my blueberry crostata.
Blueberries go way back
Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. I eat them almost every day, probably about 1/2 cup a day. Yes, I keep the blueberry growers in business. Blueberries contain antioxidants which are helpful in reducing the risk of some types of cancer.
Blueberries are native to North America. When Europeans arrived in America, they discovered that the Native Americans were harvesting blueberries year round. They were using the little blue fruit in everything from soup to stews to folk medicine.
Blueberry crostata is the perfect ending to a traditional European dinner or a simple summer meal. The amazing crispy texture of the crust and the sweetness of the blueberries make for great contrast in texture. The crostata will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
Follow these tips for a delicious blueberry crostata
- The dough can be made in a food processor. Yes, that’s right.
- Leave a one hour cushion for your dough to chill in the fridge.
- Let your cream cheese come to room temp for easy spreading.
Visual step by step photos to help you make a perfect blueberry crostata:
Step 1: Place the dry dough ingredients in a food processor and pulse then add the butter and egg. Pulse to combine and it will start to look like step 2.
Step 2: Pulse to combine.
Step 3: It will start to form a ball.
Step 4: Drop the dough onto a floured surface.
Step 5: Form the dough into a uniform disc.
Step 6: Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for one hour. If you want, make this a day ahead.
Step 7: Add the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice to a bowl. Preheat your oven to 375′ F.
Step 8: Mix this very well to combine unit most of the sugar appears to be dissolved.
Step 9: Combine the milk, room temperature egg, and room temperature Neufchatel in a bowl.
Step 10: Blend until smooth and then chill in the refrigerator.
Step 11: Roll out your dough with a rolling pin to 12″.
Step 12: Roll the dough onto the rolling pin. (Cool easy hack and it beats trying to lift the dough by hand.)
Step 13: Transfer the dough to a baking sheet.
Step 14: Spread the chilled cheese mixture over the dough leaving a 2 inch border.
Step 15: Add the blueberry mixture over the cheese.
Step 16: Fold up the edges and slightly crimp together where they overlap. No need to be fussy, this is a rustic dessert.
Step 17: Brush the egg wash all along the folded edge.
Step 18: Sprinkle the edge with decorative coarse sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown on the edges. After it has cooled you can microwave some apple jelly until melted and brush over the blueberries only and sprinkle them with lemon zest. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy making this crostata and I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below!
Blueberry Crostata
Here is a rustic and easy recipe that is great to make during berry season! The dough comes together quickly and this can be ready for a picnic or gathering fast.
Dough:
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 4 oz unsalted butter ((1 stick sliced on to 1" pieces))
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 egg (beaten + 1 Tbsp of water )
Blueberry Filling:
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 Tbsp lemon (fresh squeeze juice)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 tsp cornstarch
Cheese Filling: (be sure these ingredients are at room temperature)
- 6 oz Neufchatel (softened*)
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 egg (beaten)
Finishing Touches Before Baking
- 1 egg (beaten with 1 Tbsp water (for egg wash))
- 1 Tbsp sugar (course, sprinkled on top of the egg wash)
Glaze – After Baking
- 2 Tbsp apple jelly
- 1 zest lemon (zest sprinkled on the blueberries)
*Neufchatel is in essence a low fat cream cheese
- Preheat oven to 375’F.
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Prepare the blueberry filling: In a bowl place blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Mix well and place in the refrigerator.
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Prepare the cheese filling: In a separate bowl, mix with a small hand blender the Neufchatel cheese with milk and the egg and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until thick. (Be sure to have all of these ingredients at room temperature before combining.)
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For the dough: In a food processor place flour, salt, sugar and vinegar, pulse until combined. Add butter and beaten egg and continue to pulse until mixture forms a ball. Remove from the food processor and flatten out on a floured surface with the palm of your hand. Form a round disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour or overnight if you want to prep this step in advance.
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Roll out the dough on a floured surface to create a 12″ circle. Roll up the dough on a rolling pin and carefully transfer to a baking sheet.
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With a spatula spread chilled cheese and egg mixture around the dough circle leaving a 2″ border.
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Scoop blueberry mixture on top of the cheese egg mixture and using both hands bring up dough towards blueberries crimping and overlapping the dough. Also, make sure you pinch well where the dough pieces touch each other to form a crimp.
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Brush the edge of the crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle the course sugar around the edge of the egg wash where it will stick.
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Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
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After the crostata has cooled and set, heat the apple jelly in the microwave until slightly melted and lightly brush on the blueberries only. This will keep them moist and shiny looking.
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Sprinkle the zest of one lemon on the blueberries.
The article - Blueberry Crostata – A Fruit Tart For Any Occasion - appeared first on Analida's Ethnic Spoon - Analida's Ethnic Spoon - Create easy ethnic recipes from around the world and learn about the best international cuisine.. Enjoy!
