There is so much to love about summer, but the one summer thing I find myself singling out every single year is all the gorgeous berries that pop up at the market, in our garden, or sometimes by the side of the road. Portlanders, you know what I am talking about there. It’s just about time to go blackberry picking.
As I imagine it is with most people around here, I have a seriously tense, love/hate relationship with blackberries. Himalayan blackberries are a scourge to gardens and yards all over the city this time of year, their prickly vines and tentacle-like roots popping up and taking hold every single place you don’t want them to be. These blackberry vines have been known to destroy public parks, obliterate native plants, and—god help me—produce some of the most delicious free fruit you’re likely to taste on this side of the country.
I know, I know. Blackberry plants are a pain in the rear. But, if you can find a patch of blackberries far, far away from your own yard, a public park, or any other place that needs space to cultivate a healthy garden or place to play, there are few things as enjoyable as spending an afternoon picking berries, eating berries, then coming home and making whatever blackberry-laden dessert your heart desires. This year, my heart and mind were set on a combination of blackberries and limes, thrown together in a cool, creamy dessert that would carry me through a long week of hot weather. This tart is a summer dream, hitting all the right notes with its zingy lime zest, perfect berries, creamy mascarpone and yogurt filling, and a wonderfully crumbly, barely sweetened crust to pull everything together. Invasive, destructive plant life aside, this is a blackberry dream worth having.
Last Year: Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad with Mint and Tangerine Zucchini Bread
Blackberry Lime Tart
Crust:
Generous 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (from about 16 graham cracker squares)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest
pinch of salt
Filling:
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lime zest
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
¾ cup plain yogurt
3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) mascarpone cheese (you could also use cream cheese)
3 large eggs
pinch of salt
1 to 2 cups of blackberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, lime zest, and salt. Stir until the butter is completely incorporated. Press the crumbs into a 10-inch tart pan, trying to keep the thickness of the crust as uniform as possible (if you can’t don’t worry—an uneven crust has never brought a pox upon anyone and their family). Bake the tart crust in the oven for 10 minutes, until it just begins to barely brown at the edges. Remove and set aside while you make the filling.
In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine lime juice, lime zest, sugar, flour, yogurt, mascarpone or cream cheese, eggs, and pinch of salt. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Pour the filling into the tart crust, and bake in the center of the oven until the top of the tart has puffed up and the middle has set, about 30 to 40 minutes, checking the tart consistently after the 30 minute mark to make sure it doesn’t burn. The top should be just touched with golden spots.
Remove the tart from the oven, then immediately sprinkle on the berries. The top of the tart will sink a bit, and the berries will gently sink in along with them.
Refrigerate the tart until chilled through, at least 2 hours, or overnight. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 1 10-inch tart, enough to serve 8 to 10 people.
Savory Salty Sweet 
I used to wild with blackberry picking at Powell Butte. For better or worse, blackberries are not as invasive here in Colorado. So…they’re way too expensive for me to justify buying. However, this recipe suggests I’ll be making a berry splurge this weekend.
Great flavor combo!
That looks wonderful. Do you bike on the Springwater Corridor with kiddo? That’s a great place for blackberries.
When you say graham cracker squares, do you mean the entire rectangle or do you count those rectangles as 2 squares each?
And I think this could also be super on the gingersnap cookie crust that you introduced me to last year (your fresh blueberry cream pie). I made one last week, and ate the last piece this afternoon. It’s the perfect way to showcase blueberries from my garden. Now all my blueberries are gone…
We love picking berries on the Springwater Corridor! Sometimes I wonder how there can consistently be so many berries there, what with all the bicyclists riding by and stopping for snacks. I guess that just shows me how MANY berries there truly are around there.
1 graham cracker rectangle counts as 2 squares, yes. And I think you are totally right about the gingersnap crust–it would be totally dreamy here!
Reblogged this on Marina's Kitchen.
Oh my gosh this just looks too good! Hold me!!
Love the photography and styling! The background really makes the tart pop. Looks delicious 🙂
great photos, nice recipe. I’m sure the lemon went really well with the berries & cut right through the sweetness
Gorgeous dessert!
Your dessert sounds perfect for summer and so pretty.
Thank you so much! Blackberry season in the PNW is a fairly magical time.
Enjoy every magical moment…summer is too short.