Name: Easy Lemon Blueberry Tarts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 180 min
Ingredients: 2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour; 1 pinch of salt; 1 c. shortening, lard, or butter ((one type, don't mix different kinds)); 1 c. cold water; 3 c. fresh or frozen blueberries; 3/4 c. sugar; 1/2 c. lemon juice; 1/2 large lemon, zested (optional); 1/4 c. cornstarch; 1/4 c. water; 1 large lemon, zested; white sugar (for sprinkling); fresh blueberries (to garnish)

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Blueberry and lemon might be one of my favourite combinations, and this recipe for easy lemon blueberry tarts is every bit as satisfying as that combo promises. Sweet, rich coloured blueberries paired with tart, fresh lemon and flaky pastry makes for a very pretty and tasty dessert.

Making homemade tarts from scratch

Tarts can be as simple as a pastry shell with pie filling or as complicated as a beautiful short crust pastry with layered fillings, fresh fruits, and in a special tart tin.

This recipe would be the former: a delicious, flaky pastry with a generous dollop of homemade, flavor-rich lemon blueberry pie filling inside. I love tarts this way, since it’s so easy to do, so yummy, and perfectly pretty and appealing (without all the fuss of making the fancy tarts… as much as I do love doing that).

Is it better to use fresh or frozen blueberries?

Honestly, I find them to be about the same when you’re cooking the fruit. That said, I recommend using fresh blueberries for the topping and frozen blueberries for the filling.

The best lemon juice to use

You can use either bottled lemon juice or fresh lemon juice for this recipe, but I’ll be honest – Fresh lemon is truly superior when it comes to flavor! There was a time in the past when I couldn’t really tell the difference, but now… as much as I hate to call myself “a snob,” I think I’ve sort of become a lemon juice snob. There really is nothing quite like the flavor of fresh lemon.

Lemon zest… optional?

This recipe calls for lemon zest in several places, with the note that it’s optional beside. Basically, if you want a little extra lemon flavor, add the zest. If you find that flavor too bitter, feel free to omit it. That’s it!

There is plenty of lemon juice in this filling recipe to still make it taste like lemon is there, so for this step, go with your own taste preference.

To get those pretty strips of zested lemon on top of the tarts, I like to use a hand zester like this one.

Making this recipe in advance

To make this recipe in advance, there are a few tips I can give you! They are as follows:

Prepping the pastry in advance

You can fully prepare the tart shells and refrigerate or freeze them until you are ready to use them. I recommend preparing the pastry the day before if you want them in the fridge, or several weeks ahead of time if you plan to freeze them. Just make sure you cover the prepped tart shells in an airtight freezer bag so that the pastry doesn’t dry out!

Preparing the filling in advance

Prepare the filling according to the recipe instructions and refrigerate or can it until you’re ready to use it. If the filling separates at all, you can bring it back together by warming it on the stove before you use it.

For the toppings

Topping should be prepared directly before you want to use them.

Tips and tricks

If you want some tips and tricks for this recipe, I’ll let you in on a secret: these are both recipes I’ve written about before! And, you guessed it, I have lots of tips and tricks attached to the recipes. Check out my Easy Pie Pastry recipe or my Blueberry Lemon Pie Filling recipe to see all of my additional notes and instructions.

Recipe substitutions

Like most things, this recipe will turn out best when you make it with the ingredients listed. That said, there are a few things you can substitute pretty safely.

Shortening

For the shortening in the pastry, as noted on the recipe itself, you can substitute butter or pure rendered lard. Just don’t mix two types of fat, since they have a different firmness and don’t tend to work together as well as they do on their own.

Blueberries

If you are surprised that I would suggest you can substitute something for blueberries in a “Blueberry” recipe, you would be spot on. The thing is, this recipe will work well with any type of mixed berry combination just as well. So, if you find yourself short on blueberries… Don’t give up. An extra handful of strawberries or another type of berry will fill out the measurement just fine, and the recipe will still work well.

Lemon juice

Again, lemon seems important, yes? Well, yes – but again, if you find yourself short, you can fill out your measurement with lime juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice, or even water. And yes, the recipe will still turn out delicious.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch can be substituted for tapioca starch or even flour if you’re in a pinch! Use a 1:1 ratio, and follow the recipe instructions. If you do use flour, and you find that the thinned flour/water mixture is gummy, add enough water to thin it out into a pourable consistency.

How to make lemon blueberry tarts

For the pastry:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until it resembles pea-sized chunks.
Using a fork, make a little well in the side of the pastry and pour in the water. Use the fork to blend the flour mixture and water together, until it just comes together in a soft, shaggy dough. (Do not over-mix.)
Cover with plastic and set aside.

To make the filling:

Combine the blueberries, sugar, juice, and zest (if desired) in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
In a small glass bowl, combine the cornstarch and water until you have a smooth paste; slowly pour the cornstarch into the hot blueberry mixture, stirring while you add it, until well combined. Cook 2-3 minutes more, or until the mixture is thick, dark, and clear.
Remove from heat. Pour the finished filling into a heat-proof glass bowl, and cover with plastic wrap set directly on top of the filling to cool.* Set aside.

making the tarts:

On a surface dusted with flour, roll out the pie pastry until about 1/8″ thick, rotating as you roll and adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
Using a biscuit cutter, cut the pastry into circles (4″ circles for large tarts or 3″ circle for minis), and press into muffin tins. Allow to rest at least 1 hours in the fridge.
Prick the tart shells all over with a fork, and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Spoon the prepared tart filling into the baked tart shells. Set aside to cool completely if the tart filling is still warm.
In the meantime, using a zester, zest the lemon into long strips, or cut the rind into small, thin strips with a knife. Put the pieces into a small bowl, sprinkle with sugar, and toss to coat.
Decorate the cooled tarts with fresh blueberries and sugared lemon zest. Serve.
This recipe is best served on the day it is made.

You will need:

Ingredients (see recipe card)
Small-medium heavy bottomed saucepan
Measuring cups and spoons
Lemon juicer
Lemon zester (traditional style, optional)
Heat-proof spatula
A large bowl for cooling
Mixing bowls
Glass measuring pitcher
Pastry cutter
Bench scraper
Sharp paring knives (for trimming)
Small sieve
Marble rolling pin
4″-5″ Biscuit cutter
Muffin tins
Zester (for making lemon strips, optional)