Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Crust and Topping
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 55 g cornmeal
- 50 g confectioners' sugar
- 55 g light brown sugar
- 5 g baking powder
- 3½ g salt
- 170 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Filling
- 460 g blueberries
- 110 g light brown sugar
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- ½ g salt, fine
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Sodium
- 240 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 41 mg
- Potassium
- 121 mg
- Calcium
- 60 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 72 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 131 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 1.8 mg
- Folate
- 52 mcg
- Water
- 53 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients and stir until a cohesive dough forms.
Press half of the cornmeal dough into the bottom and 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) up the sides of the tart pan using a flat-bottomed cup for evenness.
Toss the blueberries with brown sugar, vinegar, flour, and salt in a separate bowl until the fruit is evenly coated.
Transfer the blueberry mixture into the prepared tart shell.
Squeeze the remaining dough into small clumps and scatter them over the blueberries.
Place the tart on a cookie sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 175°C (350°F) until the filling bubbles and the crust turns golden.
Cool the tart completely in the pan before slicing and serving.
Chef's Notes
- For an even richer cornmeal flavor, consider toasting the cornmeal lightly in a dry pan before incorporating it into the dough.
- Ensure your butter is truly melted and cooled slightly before adding it to the dry ingredients; hot butter can melt the sugars prematurely, affecting the crust's texture.
- When pressing the dough into the tart pan, use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to ensure an even and compact layer, which will prevent cracking during baking.
- Don't overmix the dough once the butter is added. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a tougher crust.
- For a more rustic crumble topping, use your fingertips to break the remaining dough into irregular pieces rather than uniform clumps.
Storage
Refrigerator: 48 hours — Keep tightly wrapped.
Reheating: Serve at room temperature or warm in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 10 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Filling is too runny after cooling
Cause: The tart was removed from the oven before the blueberry juices reached a full boil to activate the flour.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooled; serve in bowls if necessary.
Prevention: Ensure the filling is bubbling actively in the center, not just at the edges, before removing from the oven.
Crust is too hard or difficult to slice
Cause: The dough was pressed too firmly into the pan or overbaked.
Fix: Allow the tart to sit at room temperature for an hour to soften slightly.
Prevention: Press the dough until just compact; do not pack it tightly.
Cultural Context
Shortbread, with its buttery, crumbly texture, has roots in Scotland, traditionally made with a simple ratio of flour, butter, and sugar. This American adaptation incorporates cornmeal for added texture and a subtle nutty flavor, common in regional baking where corn is a staple. The addition of fruit filling, like blueberries, transforms it into a delightful dessert, perfect for summer gatherings.
