A Gift.
Our friend Lila was a gifted potter. I can’t count how many times you have seen her pottery on Cocoa & Lavender. Some were things she made for herself or for craft shows (where I got my absolute favorite pie plate), while others are “bespoke” pieces she made just for me: long rectangular platters for loaf cakes, soufflé molds, a ceramic tube pan for bundt cakes, platters for 11-inch tarts, an oval casserole, and a set of plates with Mimbres animal designs.
Sadly, Lila died in June. Mark and I miss her so much. Her husband Ed misses her immeasurably. Her children and grandchildren miss her very much, as you can imagine. Her book club misses her, too. The world misses her smile, her laugh, and her creativity as well as her tales of adventurous travel (for her 80th birthday she took herself parachute jumping). Lila was a true gift to us all, and how fortunate were we she shared so much of herself with us over the years.
Today’s recipe for a Blueberry Sour Cream Tart is served on a cake plate made by Lila. The recipe is my version of a Sour Cream Tart that I had at Café au Lait in Princeton, New Jersey, more than forty years ago. It resembles a Finnish tart called mustikkapiirakka which was, perhaps, the inspiration for this recipe. It’s not terribly sweet, in that European way, so it’s perfect for dessert, elevenses, afternoon tea, or even breakfast. Lila would have loved it.
~ David
Blueberry Sour Cream Tart
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup ice water
- 1 pound blueberries
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 4 egg yolks (from large eggs)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse twice. Cut the butter into 16-20 pieces, add to the flour mixture and pulse 10 times. Add the water all at once, drizzling around perimeter of the bowl. Using long 1-second pulses, pulse 20-24 times until the dough forms a ball around the blade.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Generously flour your working surface. Roll out the pastry to 1/8-inch thick — it should be almost 12-inches in diameter. Transfer the pastry to a high-sided 9-inch tart pan or, as I did, to a 9-inch springform pan. Fold over the sides to make double thickness sidewalls of pastry about 1 1/4 inches high.
- Add the blueberries to the pastry and distribute evenly, making sure they are up against the pastry walls (they act as pie weights). Place the blueberry-filled pastry into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
- While the berries are baking, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.
- When the berries come out of the oven, pour the topping over and return to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and beginning to show some golden brown spots.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the tart to a platter. When fully cool, place into the refrigerator. Serve chilled.
- Serves 8-10.
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angiesrecipes
October 12, 2024 at 5:12 amfor her 80th birthday she took herself parachute jumping….Lila sounded like an amazing and inspiring lady. I don’t think I would have the gut to do that when I am 80…And how I love that two-toned plate…perfect for presenting the delicious cake, David.
Mad Dog
October 12, 2024 at 5:57 amFabulous tart – I could eat a pice now! I’m sorry to hear about your friend Lila, but lovely to be introduced to her beautiful pottery.
Barb
October 12, 2024 at 6:03 amLila was obviously a delightful person and a loss to all who knew her. She no doubt would be honored that you have dedicated this post to her. The platter is beautiful and perfect for the fabulous tart you created. As you know, I don’t eat very many desserts, but I will definitely be making this tart. Using the blueberries as pie weights is brilliant!
Mimi Rippee
October 12, 2024 at 4:38 pmThat is a beautiful plate, and an even more beautiful tart! Great story. Great lady.
FEL!X
October 12, 2024 at 5:55 pmWe always wishing to spend more time with beloved friends. So sorry for your loss.
Lila would love this blueberry tart – and I like it too!
sherry
October 12, 2024 at 9:58 pmI love the plate and the tart and the story David. I have lost a couple of friends in recent years; the pain lessens but never goes away. Yay for friends like Lila!
cheers
sherry
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
October 13, 2024 at 5:30 amSo sorry for your loss, David. And what a lovely way to remember your friend. The tart sounds lovely. I really like the tang you get from sour cream in, say, cheesecake so I imagine you’d get a similar effect here.
Jeff the Chef
October 14, 2024 at 7:04 amI’m sorry that you lost your friend. I’m glad that you have these things that you love, that you can remember her by. And to grace those items with such things as exquisite as this tart! How nice!