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Perfect Brown Butter Blueberry Tart Recipe with Easy Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream

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A rich and nutty brown butter tart crust filled with luscious blueberries and silky vanilla bean pastry cream, perfect for a memorable and easy dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1–2 tablespoons ice water, as needed
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (300g) fresh blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Optional: powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Brown the Butter for the Crust: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Keep cooking, swirling the pan frequently, until it turns a rich golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  2. Make the Tart Dough: In a mixing bowl or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cooled brown butter and pulse or mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and blend just until combined. If the dough feels too dry, add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together.
  3. Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Prepare the Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream: In a saucepan, heat the milk and the scraped vanilla bean pod over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.
  5. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth and pale.
  6. Remove the vanilla bean pod from the milk, then slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
  7. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and starts to bubble (about 3-5 minutes). It should coat the back of a spoon.
  8. Remove from heat and whisk in the softened butter until smooth. Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps.
  9. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to avoid a skin forming. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  10. Roll and Bake the Tart Shell: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch (3mm) thickness. Fit it into the tart pan, trimming excess edges.
  11. Prick the bottom with a fork and line the shell with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  12. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 10 minutes or until golden and set. Let cool completely.
  13. Assemble the Tart: Spread the chilled vanilla bean pastry cream evenly in the cooled tart shell.
  14. Top with fresh blueberries and sprinkle lemon zest over the berries.
  15. Optionally dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Notes

Brown the butter slowly to avoid burning and develop a nutty flavor. Temper eggs slowly when making pastry cream to prevent scrambling. Chill dough well before rolling to prevent shrinkage. Blind bake tart shell with weights to avoid puffing. Strain pastry cream for smooth texture. Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter tart, blueberry tart, vanilla bean pastry cream, easy tart recipe, dessert, summer dessert, crowd-pleaser

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