Cakes & pastry
Blackcurrant Tart with a Sour Cream Filling
This blackcurrant tart combines a short-pastry shell with 250 g berries and a filling of 350 g sour cream, 2 eggs, 90 g sugar and 20 g starch. Keep the pastry ingredients cold, chill the lined pan, then add the berries and filling. Bake at 180°C (355°F), using about 50 minutes as a guide and checking that the filling has set.
5 min read
A tart built around sharp berries and a mild filling
Blackcurrants bring a strong fruit flavour and acidity, while sour cream softens the contrast. The pastry gives structure around a filling that becomes firmer as it cools.
Choose ripe, sound berries and remove stalks or debris. Dry washed fruit so that unnecessary surface water does not go into the tart.
The recipe is assembled with a raw chilled pastry shell. A separately blind-baked shell is a possible variation, but it changes the baking sequence and should not be combined with the same timing automatically.
1. Make the cold short pastry
Use cold butter and cold eggs. Work quickly enough that the butter does not melt into an oily mixture before the dough comes together.
Choose a tart pan with enough capacity for the dough and filling, keeping the pastry reasonably even and leaving headroom. Do not force all the filling into an undersized pan.
Short pastry shell
One tart shell; pan dimensions need to match the batch
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour / all-purpose flour
- 100 g butter, cold
- 2 eggs, cold
- 60 g sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
Method
- Mix dry ingredients. Sift the flour and mix with the baking powder.
- Make crumbs. Cut or process the cold butter into the flour until fine crumbs form.
- Add eggs and sugar. Whisk the eggs and sugar lightly in another bowl, then add to the crumbs.
- Bring together. Mix quickly just until a uniform dough forms. Avoid prolonged kneading.
- Line and chill. Press or roll into a suitable tart pan with even sides. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while preparing the filling.
A pinch of salt is optional.
2. Mix the sour cream filling
Use sour cream around 20% fat, as specified. A much thinner low-fat product introduces a different balance and may not set or feel the same.
Mix the sugar and starch before adding liquid to reduce clumping. The goal is a smooth filling, not a heavily aerated foam.
Blackcurrant and sour cream filling
One filling batch
Ingredients
- 350 g sour cream, about 20% fat
- 2 eggs
- 90 g sugar
- 20 g cornflour / cornstarch
- 250 g blackcurrants
- to taste, optional vanilla or cinnamon
Method
- Disperse the starch. Mix sugar and cornflour with a whisk.
- Add eggs. Whisk in the eggs until smooth, then add optional vanilla or cinnamon.
- Add sour cream. Stir in sour cream gently until the mixture is uniform.
- Fill the shell. Arrange berries in the chilled pastry shell. Pour the sour cream mixture over them, leaving enough space to handle the pan without spilling.
3. Bake until the filling is set
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Put the filled tart on a stable tray and bake for approximately 50 minutes, adjusting for the actual pan depth and oven.
The pastry should be cooked and the filling set rather than fluid across the centre. Do not rely on colour alone. A very deep filling will not finish on the same schedule as a shallow one.
Let the tart cool before cutting so the filling can firm. Once cooled, refrigerate the dairy-and-egg tart and keep it protected. Do not leave it at room temperature for extended storage.
Keep the base and filling in balance
A watery filling can soften the base. Dry the berries, use the specified sour cream style and keep the starch evenly dispersed. Adding more starch after the filling is already in the shell is not a practical correction.
If the dough becomes sticky and warm while lining, chill it before forcing it further. Adding large amounts of flour changes the pastry and can make it tough.
If you choose to blind bake on a later trial, record the shell bake and the adjusted filled bake separately. That is a method variation, not a reason to bake an already cooked shell for the full original schedule.
Slice cold enough to hold its shape
Use a clean knife and support each slice from underneath. A tart that is still warm may taste good but will not necessarily give a sharp section.
A few fresh blackcurrants or another small berry accent are enough to echo the filling. Avoid a wet decorative sauce that hides the tart's own texture.
If you want a different fruit, select a filling or tart formula designed for it. Blackcurrants, strawberries and citrus differ in juice, acidity and structure.
Common questions
How do I avoid overfilling the pan?
Use a pan with sufficient capacity and even pastry depth, leaving headroom. Reserve any filling that does not fit comfortably. The bake time depends on the actual depth.
Should I blind bake the shell?
The main method fills a raw chilled shell. Blind baking is a separate variation and needs an adjusted final bake.
Can I use low-fat sour cream?
It is not an equivalent substitution. The recipe uses about 20% fat sour cream, which contributes to the filling's texture.
Why does the filling run when cut?
It may not be fully baked or cooled. Check the pan depth, endpoint and cooling before assuming more starch was needed.
Can I cut it straight from the oven?
Let it cool first. The filling firms during cooling and is easier to slice cleanly once stable.