Philadelphia Blueberry-Corn Tart

Who could have thought of using blueberries and corn with the iconic Philadelphia cream cheese to make a cool summer tart like this? I have never put fresh corn in tarts, or any desserts, for that matter. This recipe highlights the bounty of farmers market ingredients from the talented Dorie Greenspan in Baking Chez Moi. This tart is a bit out of the ordinary, combining fruits and vegetables, the mix of “cooked and fresh, smooth and chunky, soft and snappy,” as Dorie describes the tart filling. You can find what other Tuesdays-with-Dorie’s bakers did here.

The sweet tart dough is tender and easy to assemble if you follow Dorie’s step-by-step instructions, which are complete with very helpful visual and mental cues. Somehow I managed to miss the step of chilling the dough before rolling it out on the tart pan, hence the unruly look. We used the same sable or shortbread cookie dough before in a previous Tuesdays-with-Dorie’s post, the cherry crumb tart. A great dough to work with and a keeper for sure. This time we fully baked the crust for about 30 to 35 minutes and then cooled it ready to be filled.

The topping uses a quickly made blueberries jam over medium heat, bolstered with lemon zest and a sprig of fresh rosemary. I enjoyed standing by the stove, watching the blueberries as they popped and the deep red juice oozed out. As the jam thickened, lemon juice, more fresh berries, corn kernels were stirred in and simmered for a few quick minutes. I left some of the raw and sweet-tasting Silver Queen white corn kernels, as well as fresh berries, on the side to be sprinkled on top, like a salad. I popped a handful of corn in my mouth. So irresistible!

The cheese filling is made by folding the whipped heavy cream into the soft-whipped Philadelphia cream cheese mixture with some honey. Covered the tart crust with the filling. Topped with blueberries and corn. After an hour of chilling, this marvelous tart is ready to be served.

I love every aspect of this tart — from the quintessential American ingredients, to the ease of making the crust, the topping and the filling. Finally, the delightful texture and delicious, sweet and tangy berries, fresh corn and the lightened cream cheese. A harmonious bite, reclaiming the visceral summer experience of biting into farm-fresh berries and corn and relishing it.

Tender crust filled with cream cheese and sweet tart blueberry-corn toppings

Sprinkled more fresh white corn kernels all around