Blueberry and thyme tarts recipe

Babiche Martens

These pretty tarts are perfect for Christmas Day. It is always better making pastry when the temperature is cool as it is easier to handle. This is a great job to do on a morning or in the late evening a couple of days beforehand. Once the bases are baked, store in an airtight container ready for lastminute filling.

Pastry

2 cups	Plain flour
¼ cup	Icing sugar
150 g	Butter, cut into cubes
1	Egg yolk
1 Tbsp	Cold water

Topping

2 cups	Blueberries (Main)
¼ cup	Grand Marnier
2 Tbsp	Water
1 Tbsp	Chopped thyme
1 tsp	Arrowroot, mixed with 1 Tbsp water

Filling

150 g	Cream cheese
200 g	Creme fraiche
1 Tbsp	Orange zest
2 tsp	Finely chopped thyme leaves, plus a few extra leaves to garnish (Main)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Place flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and water, and combine to form a dough. Roll out and line 8 x 10cm tart tins. Refrigerate for 10 minutes before baking blind.
3. For the topping, place the blueberries, Grand Marnier, water and thyme in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Add the arrowroot and cook for 1 minute to thicken. Cool.
4. Beat the cream cheese, creme fraiche, zest and thyme leaves until smooth.
5. When ready to serve, fill the tart cases with filling and spoon over the blueberry mixture. Sprinkle over a few fresh leaves to garnish.