Introduction

Discover the elegant blend of sweet blackberries and fragrant Earl Grey tea in these delightful tarts. Perfect for a sophisticated dessert or a special occasion, they combine a crisp tart shell with creamy pastry and luscious fruit filling.

Three small tarts sit on a round wooden board with visible tree rings, placed on a white marbled surface. Each tart has a golden brown, crumbly crust as the bottom layer. On top, there is a thick, creamy layer swirled with smooth light brown frosting, forming three big waves on each tart. Each tart is decorated with three dark purple-black blackberries, placed close together near the edge of the frosting. Around the board, there are a few green leaves and red and white flowers, adding color to the scene. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Blackberry Filling: 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries (to make 1 cup purée), 1 ½ tsp water, ¾ tsp unflavoured gelatin, ½ cup sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, pinch kosher salt, 1 tsp lemon juice
Earl Grey Pastry Cream: 2 cups milk, 1 vanilla bean (split), 2 Earl Grey tea bags, 4 egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, 4 tbsp cornstarch, pinch kosher salt, 2 tbsp butter
Tart Dough: 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 stick cold butter (diced), 1 egg yolk, 3 tbsp cold water
To Assemble: ¾ cup heavy whipping cream, fresh blackberries (for garnish)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Blackberry Filling. Blend the blackberries in a food processor. Strain through a fine mesh over a bowl, pressing with a spatula to remove seeds. Transfer the purée to a small saucepan and discard the seeds. In a cup, combine water and gelatin; set aside to bloom. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a separate bowl, then whisk into the purée along with lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until bubbling and thickened. Stir in gelatin until melted. Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film directly on the surface, and chill at least 6 hours until thickened.
Step 2: Make the Earl Grey Pastry Cream. Heat milk with vanilla bean and tea bags in a saucepan until gently simmering. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 20–30 minutes. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until thickened, then whisk in cornstarch and salt. Remove vanilla bean and tea bags; rewarm milk. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg yolk mixture to temper, then return all to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly until thick. Remove from heat, whisk in butter. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film directly on top, and chill until cold.
Step 3: Prepare the Tart Dough. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until pea-sized. Whisk egg yolk and water, pour into processor while pulsing until dough clumps. Press dough together, wrap with plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly flour surface and roll dough to 1/6 inch thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than tart pans and line pans, pressing to seal cracks. Trim excess, prick dough with fork, line with foil and pie weights. Bake 20 minutes, remove weights and foil, bake 5–7 more minutes until golden. Cool and remove from pans.
Step 4: Assemble the Tarts. Whip cream to stiff peaks. Fold one third of whipped cream into pastry cream until smooth, then fold in remaining cream gently. Transfer pastry cream to a piping bag with a V-shaped or star tip, or spoon ready to fill. Spoon blackberry filling into tart shells. Pipe pastry cream decoratively over filling. Chill until serving. Garnish with fresh blackberries before enjoying.

Tips & Variations

Use fresh blackberries when in season for the best flavor, but frozen works well too.
If you prefer a stronger tea flavor, steep the Earl Grey bags longer or add an extra bag.
For a gluten-free option, substitute the tart dough flour with a gluten-free blend.
To avoid lumps in the pastry cream, make sure to whisk constantly when cooking and temper eggs slowly.
Try adding a splash of lemon zest to the tart dough for a subtle citrus note.

Storage

Store assembled tarts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The crust may soften slightly over time due to the filling moisture. For best texture, assemble tarts on the day you plan to serve. Leftover pastry cream or filling can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and gently reheated before use.

How to Serve

Three small tarts are placed on a round wooden board with a natural tree ring pattern. Each tart has a golden-brown crust base that supports a thick layer of smooth, light brown cream with soft peaks swirled on top. On each tart, there are three shiny, black blackberries clustered together near the edge of the cream layer. The wooden board sits on a white marbled surface, and red and white roses along with green leaves are arranged around the board, adding color and texture to the scene. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the tart dough ahead of time?

Yes, tart dough can be prepared and chilled for up to 2 days before rolling and baking. Wrap it well to prevent drying out.

What if I don’t have gelatin?

You can substitute gelatin with agar-agar powder following the package instructions, but the texture may vary slightly. Alternatively, cook the blackberry filling longer with cornstarch to thicken without gelatin, though it may be less firm.