Ingredients
- Cream Cheese Filling:
- 1 sheet puff pastry (made with real butter – not oil)
- egg wash (1 egg, 1 teaspoon water, and pinch of salt all whisked together with a fork)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- A good pinch of salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Twangy Blueberry Sauce:
- 3 cups | 510 g fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup | 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons tapioca flour
- good pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon best-quality balsamic-vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
Step 1
For the puff pastry:
Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
Lightly flour your work surface, and gently roll out the puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Using a pizza wheel (or knife), cut the square into 4 smaller squares of equal size. Transfer the squares to the parchment lined sheet pan. Moisten the dough edges with the egg wash, and then fold the edges of the pastry over about 1/2-inch on all sides. Using a fork, pierce the puff pastry square all over on just the bottom. Brush the tops of the folded dough edges with the egg wash, being very careful not to let any drip down the sides (this can hinder the puff pastry from rising). Refrigerate the puff pastry for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400.
Bake the puff pastry until brown and puffed, about 8-12 minutes. Using an offset spatula, press down on the center of the pastry, leaving the borders puffed up. Return to the oven, and bake 8-12 minutes more, until the pastry is golden and puffed. Transfer the tarts to a wire rack to cool, and press down the center again if needed. Let the tart cool completely before filling.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-high until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Reduce the speed to low and add the heavy cream in a slow, steady stream. Once the cream is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high again and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks, 2-3 minutes.
For the sauce:
Put 1 1/2 cups (255g) of the blueberries into a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries start to release their liquid (about 1 minute). Stir the sugar, tapioca flour, and salt together in a small bowl, and add it to the saucepan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit begins to split and the juice become thick and glossy (3-5 minutes). Add the vinegar and cook for another minute, stirring (the sauce will turn sticky). Turn off the heat, and add the vanilla, stirring to combine. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups (255g) of blueberries, and set aside to cool in the pan. Stir the sauce every few minutes. Use the sauce right away, or cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until needed (up to 1 week). Can be served hot or cold.
To assemble the tarts:
Put 1/4 cup-1/2 cup (depending on how much you want) of cream cheese filling in the center of each tart. Spread the filling evenly to the puffed borders, and then top with the blueberry sauce.