This past weekend I NEEDED summer. The weather was vacillating between rain and sleet, my boys couldn’t even go ice skating because the rink was just a pool of slush. The Midwestern sky, that I can usually count on for an endless blue sunny backdrop to winter, was gray. It was all too much to take, especially after the Vikings gave up the big game. When I saw the flat of blackberries at the store, I had to have them. It was a gift from a land far, far away that is in their growing months. I am usually dedicated to eating seasonally and as local as possible, but once in a while we Minnesotans have to cheat. It worked. My family and I were much happier after eating these tarts. The fresh berries were lovely with the rich creamy ricotta custard that has the slightest hint of nutmeg. Be sure to use a whole milk ricotta to get the silky texture.
This morning we woke up to snow, which is at least beautiful, albeit a reminder that our summer is still far away. I suppose it just means we have a longer baking season than most!
Blackberry Ricotta Tarts:
Tart Dough for 8-10 tartlettes:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 yolks
Ricotta filling:
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese or cream cheese at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
2 yolks
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
40 fresh or frozen blackberries for the filling
Fresh blackberries for top of tart
To make the tart dough:
In a stand mixer fitted with the Beater Blade, beat the butter with the confectioners sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy. Add the yolks one at a time and mix after each until incorporated. If not using a beater blade paddle then make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and salt and mix on low until well incorporated and smooth.
Form the dough into a log and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces if using high sided Removable Bottom Mini Tart Pan.
Allow the dough to warm for a few minutes before rolling so it won’t crack. Not so long that it is soft, but it shouldn’t be brittle either.
Roll the dough out so that it goes about 1″ beyond the size of the tart pan.
Fit the dough into the pan. Don’t worry if the dough cracks.
Press the dough into the pan, making sure that it is evenly thick on the sides.
Use a paring knife or the rolling pin to scrape off the excess from the top of the pan. Once all of the tart pans are filled with the dough, freeze them while you preheat the oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line the frozen tart shells with tin foil and then fill with Pie Weights. I use a combination of beans, metal and ceramic weights.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edge is golden. Remove the foil.
Prepare the Ricotta filling:
In a food processor mix together the ricotta, mascarpone or cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla, sugar and nutmeg, combine. Add the yolks and combine. Set aside or refrigerate.
Fill the tart shells about 3/4 of the way full. Place about 4 of the fresh or frozen berries into the filling.
Bake the tarts for about 20-25 minutes or until slightly puffed and set to the touch. The timing may depend on how chilled your filling is. Cool the tarts until room temperature, then remove from the tart pans.
Top the tarts with the fresh berries. Serve unadorned or with whipped cream.
Ahh this looks so fresh and delicious!
I really do love the combination of ricotta and fresh berries. Irresistable.
These are such beautiful little tarts! I love your step by step photos on how to make the crust – very helpful. I was eyeing the blackberries at the store yesterday too, but blueberries were on sale for $1/container!
Awwww…these are so so dang cute …would love to make ’em with strawberries and will veery soon….
Any good sub for the ricotta cheese?This is really so so good….
I know what you mean,.. I wish warm would get here soon.. I just try to make things that mean summer in winter and feel better about it! LOL
love yours tarts! gorgeous
Nice job. I love those little false bottom pans. I have some that are heart shaped and after reading your post think that I’m going to do something similar for Valentine’s.
PS So sorry about the Vikes. My family is in MN–I could almost hear them yelling at the TV up here in Alaska.
Perfect, this is exactly what might help me at the moment! I also NEED summer so much! And I know it’s not really a berry season, but for once… Thank you for the step by step photo guide. This one goes straight to my bookmarks! 🙂
Pie weights? What if you accidentally miss one and it ends up in your dinner. I mean…at least beans are edible.
Scrumptious! Divine! A lovely recipe for mid-winter.
Stunning, just stunning. And lucky you with the snow, we only have the gray and cold. And funny thing is I’ve been craving blackberries! These luscious tartlets are just the thing!
Gorgeous Zoe. I have some small pans like these! I think I shall make these beautiful tarts soon, maybe with strawberries!!
I am now drooling over the photos! I like blackberries so much. I prefer them than strawberries and any other.
See, now I feel bad. I’m over the NYC winter as well, but I know that it’s pretty much insane in Minnesota. I’ll stop complaining, promise.
I’m sure hose blackberry tarts definitely helped. I had a similar summer-need freakout and made mini peach pies with frozen peaces and a coconut almond crumble topping. Holy cow, I cannot tell you how good they were!
Just a few more months!
-Sarah
These look marvelous. They are just the bit of sunshine we need to get through this dreadful winter.
I feel like you- I had to have some pears for the same reason. Your tarts are beautiful.
That’s a beautiful tart and a wonderful bits of summer on this cold winter.
wow, look at that, I’m already drooling, great color, looks delicious
thank u for the small, beautiful burst of summer, it was just what i needed.
Change of subject but wanted to let you know Zoe that I just received the Wusthof bread knife you have listed in your Amazon link and it’s heavenly! I’d been looking at it for a while and when I baked Dorie Greenspan’s Devil’s Food Whiteout Cake this weekend and my bread knife was crushing the slices, I knew I had to go for it. I thought for years I had a good bread knife, and then I started baking with ABin5 over a year ago and all of that slicing simply wore out my “good” knife. I tried the new knife on not only a fresh loaf of buttermilk bread this evening but also an older…hard as a rock loaf of WW from HBin5. I was saving it for the birds and could barely make a dent in it with the old knife…the new one thought it was ‘butter’! THANKS for another winner Zoe!
I can almost taste the blackberries from my grandma’s front yard and feel the hot sumemr sun on my face. Thank you for giving me a piece of summer on this cold and blustery day.
Carey and I were watching that game as well. We sure could’ve used a tart or 2 to take the edge off the loss!
Nice idea to have a ricotta filling AND some blackberries in it as well as on top.
When I lived in the north country it was such a pleasure to offer fresh fruit to my family in the middle of a snow storm!
Very cute.The blackberries look so fresh and refreshing
What gorgeous tarts, Zoe! Could you tell me where I can find those small tart pans? I saw them on the T.V. just a couple days ago and have fallen in love with them.
Your blog is one of my favorites, so don’t change a thing!
Hi Rebekah,
I bought them locally at Cooks of Crocus Hill, but I think you can find them on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Run-4-Inch-Tartlet-Removable/dp/B001AT4RGS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267467649&sr=1-9
Thanks, hope that is what you are looking for! Zoë
Zoe:
Thought you would want to know. It appears that your “Archives” links do not work. (Unless I am doing something wrong, which could very well be the case!) When I click on any month’s Archive, I return to the current home page (with the blackberry tarts at the top).
John
Hi John,
Thanks for the note about the archive, I’ll look into it!
Thanks, Zoë
This looks wonderful. My local market has little baskets of blackberries on special. Odd, I thought. But now I’m suddenly inspired to eat a blackberry tart.
Sweet Tarts in this cold winter 🙂
Those are gorgeous!
Zoe, I looove all your blog. Where do you host it? (what platform do you use)?
This IS the answer to the question, “What should I do with the extra tub of ricotta I bought for filling pasta?” But I wonder if candied orange would work just as well as blackberries…thanks!
Hi Cristina,
Oh, I love the idea of candied orange with the creamy filling! Lovely!
Thanks, Zoë
THESE LOOK PERFECTLY AMAZING!
What color! I can smell the lilac in the air – spring is almost here.
Blackberries have to be one of my kids’ favorite berries. I just picked up a big batch today–these tarts sound like a good weekend treat. I’m thinking about trying to make them crustless in ramekins. I wonder if that would work.
I’m kind of obsessed with any dessert that involves ricotta cheese, so I will be making these some time in the future. At this point, blackberries are almost in season!