So this may be the last time I mention blueberries, write a blueberry recipe or talk about picking them for a while.

But I'm making no promises.

I can't deny myself the little blue gems that scream it's warm outside so go swim, play and don't forget to wear sunscreen.

With the bag of blueberries still lingering in my refrigerator from my second picking expedition. I decided to try my hand at another recipe in which I could easily adapt and use some of the sweet blue, healthy jewels to decorate it with.

The original recipe comes from Jamie Oliver and those that love him (and there are countless who do) will know that the ingredients are easy to obtain and involve most things people would have lying around the kitchen. The shortcrust pastry recipe was easy and quite honestly, made me excited about making pastry again, because it has two ingredients I’ve never thought to include in other pastries I’ve made.

Blueberry Tart
Adapted from Jamie’s Italy

Shortcrust pastry
Ingredients:
125g butter
1/2 cup confectioners/icing sugar
Small pinch of salt
2 cups of plain flour
1/2 vanilla pod, sliced lengthways and seeds removed
1/2 lemon zest
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cold milk or water

Directions:
To begin with, grease a tart tin lightly. Place the butter, sugar and salt in a bowl and cream. Rub in the flour then add the vanilla, zest, milk and egg yolks.

When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs add the milk or water. Mix until its mixed to the point as a ball of dough, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.



Remove from the fridge, roll out and place in the tart tin. Then placing in the freezer for an hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C/355F and bake the pastry for 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.

Filling
Ingredients:
1 vanilla pod
500g mascarpone
100ml cream
3 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
1 cup blueberries (or any other berries you have on hand)
2 tablespoons blueberry jam
3 tablespoons water

Directions:
To make the filling, slice the vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Add the mascarpone, cream and sugar to the vanilla seeds. Whip until thick and creamy.


Place the filling into the cooled pastry and smear out to an even level. Cover the cream filling with the berries. To finish, mix the jam with the water and stir until its a light syrup and dab on top of the berries.

If you don’t eat it straight away, place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.


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