I have an uncanny ability to conjure inclement weather everywhere I go. The first time I traveled to Portland to meet Ben’s parents, there was a catastrophic ice storm and I had to wear his mother’s clothes all week. My first winter in Boston brought the worst snowstorm in history, with 109 inches of the horrible white stuff and a hideous poop-colored parka I cowered in for months. When we finally fled back west, everyone reassured me that it never snows in Seattle. Guess what? It has snowed all three years. Rude.
I’m a July baby, born and raised in glorious San Diego, California. I live for summer, and I’m pretty sure sunshine burns through my veins. This tart, with its breezy lavender cream and vibrant berry ombré, is the antithesis of the woolly winters that torment me. It is farmers’ markets bursting with peak summer produce, air perfumed with barbecue char, and dinner out on the patio every single night. Make it at the height of berry season as the crown glory to any outdoor picnic. Or unearth this treasure in chillier months to remind yourself that it’s always sunny somewhere . . . and for a moment, that somewhere could be your kitchen.
Please note that this recipe requires an overnight step before assembly!
1 baked Basic Shortbread Crust, cooled completely
LAVENDER BLACKBERRY WHIPPED CREAM
2 teaspoons dried food-grade lavender
1 cup (237 milliliters) heavy cream
½ cup (3 ounces/85 grams) fresh blackberries
8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese
1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
PREPARE A DAY AHEAD
1. Combine the lavender and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low just until steam lifts off the surface and a tiny line of bubbles forms around the edge. Do not let the cream boil. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or until cold.
DAY OF
2. Strain the cream and discard the lavender. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip the cold lavender-infused cream to soft peaks. Set aside.
3. Puree the blackberries and scrape the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve with a spatula to extract as much pulp as possible. You should have slightly less than ¼ cup (59 milliliters) puree. Discard the remaining seeds and set the puree aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt. Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the blackberry puree and mix on medium speed until well combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula. Do not overmix.
BERRY OMBRÉ DESIGN PROCESS
5 cups (20 ounces/567 grams) assorted fresh berries
1. Remove the baked and cooled shortbread crust from the pan and place it carefully on a plate. Dollop the blackberry whipped cream in the center and use an offset spatula to swoop and swirl the cream outward, leaving a ¼-inch edge of exposed crust.
2. Arrange the berries on your work surface by hue from darkest to lightest. Depending on how many different colors you have, mentally divide the tart in as many sections.
3. Starting from the left edge of the tart, fill a vertical section with the darkest berries. For extra dimension, mound the berries by stacking some as a jumble on top. Transition to the next darkest berry, again filling a vertical column. Continue moving across the surface of the tart, placing fruit in columns, ending with the lightest color.
4. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This tart is best consumed the day it is made.
SUGGESTED SUBSTITUTIONS
Crust alternatives: Basic Tart Pastry Shell, Chocolate Tart Pastry Shell, Chocolate Matcha Shortbread Crust
Topping alternatives: While they may not give the same ombré effect, most fruits (with the exception of citrus) pair well with this tart.
NOTE
As a design variation, build the berry ombré radially. Arrange the lightest colored berries in a circle in the center of the tart and continue moving outward in rings, transitioning from lightest to darkest.