Blueberry Tart with Walnut Crust

This tart has been on my mind for a couple of years. While visiting Texas, in the midst of writing the book, some family friends invited us over for a spectacular all-American themed dinner one fine summer evening in celebration of the project. The menu was divine, beautifully presented, and the company was perfect. Unfortunately, I was unable to enjoy any of the aforementioned, because I spent the duration of the dinner party throwing up in the bathroom.  No, I wasn’t drunk or suffering from an eating disorder, I was simply, suddenly, violently ill. I assume my body was protesting all my “research” into American cuisine: a tour de force of dinner parties, restaurants and bakeries, or maybe I just came down with a bug. Whatever the cause, the fact remains that I never had the chance to taste this beautiful blueberry tart, until today.

I finally wrote an email to Jill, my godmother, family friend, and endless source of culinary advice, and asked if she by chance recalled the tart. She not only remembered, but immediately responded with a link to the recipe online. Thank you internet, and thank you Jill!

This is a great summer dessert recipe: cool and refreshing on a hot day. You could substitute blueberries for any fresh fruit, really, a mix of berries would be nice, and I’m already envisioning a fig version of the tart for late summer. Experiment at will, but don’t let this recipe slip by untasted, it will haunt your subconscious for years!

Crust

• ½ cup (50 g) walnuts, lightly toasted
• 1 cup (100 g) graham cracker crumbs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
• Pinch of salt

Filling

• 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, softened to room temp
• ¼ cup (120 g) sour cream
• ¼ cup (75 g) plus 2 tablespoons (20 g) pure maple syrup, divided
• 2 cups (300 g) fresh blueberries

To prepare crust:

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
Coarsely chop walnuts in a food processor. Add graham cracker crumbs and process until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.
Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the crumb mixture, butter, oil and salt; toss to combine. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Set the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and slightly darker around the edges, about 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
To prepare filling:

Beat cream cheese, sour cream and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. When the crust is cool, spread the filling evenly into it, being careful not to break up the delicate crust. Arrange blueberries on the filling, pressing lightly so they set in. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup over the berries. Chill for at least 1 hour to firm up.