Gordon Ramsay Blueberry Cream Tart Recipe

A crisp, buttery tart shell filled with a light mascarpone and vanilla cream and piled with fresh blueberries. It looks like something from a patisserie window, but it’s built on two basic techniques: blind-baking a crust and folding whipped cream into mascarpone. This is my summer tart, inspired by the clean, fruit-forward desserts Gordon Ramsay favors rather than one of his recipes. The full quantities are in the recipe card below.

A crisp crust, not a soggy one

The crust is the part that makes or breaks a cream tart.

• Keep everything cold. Use cold butter and work quickly. If the butter softens, the crust bakes up tough instead of flaky.
• Blind-bake it properly. Line the shell with parchment and fill it with pie weights or dried beans so it keeps its shape. Remove the weights halfway through so the base browns evenly, and bake until golden.
• Cool it completely before the filling goes in.
• Add a moisture barrier. Brushing the inside with a thin layer of melted chocolate or warm apricot jam stops the cream soaking into the pastry.

The filling

The filling is mascarpone lightened with whipped cream and flavored with vanilla and a little lemon zest. It’s rich but not heavy, and not too sweet, so the berries stay the main flavor. Keep the mascarpone cold before whipping so it blends smoothly with the cream. For a lighter filling, use a higher proportion of whipped cream.

No mascarpone? Full-fat cream cheese loosened with a tablespoon or two of cream works. It’s a little tangier but sets just as well.

About the blueberries

Fresh berries look and taste best. If you use frozen, thaw and drain them well, then toss them with a teaspoon of cornstarch to soak up the extra juice before arranging them. A dusting of powdered sugar just before serving finishes it off.

Recipes

Blueberry Cream Tart

Buttery baked tart shell filled with a silky mascarpone-vanilla cream and topped with fresh blueberries and powdered sugar.

Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Prep
30 minutes

Cook
25 minutes

Total
1 hour 20 minutes

Serves
8 servings

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Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (155 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed1 large egg yolk1–2 tablespoons ice water1 cup (240 g) mascarpone cheese, chilled1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractZest of 1 lemon2 cups (300 g) fresh blueberries, washed and dried1 tablespoon apricot jam mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional glaze)Edible flowers for garnish (optional)

Instructions

01

Make the dough

Combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl, cut in cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, stir in egg yolk and enough ice water to bring the dough together, form into a disk and chill 30 minutes.

02

Roll and line

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 12-inch circle, gently press into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, trim excess and chill 15 minutes.

03

Blind-bake crust

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C), line the crust with parchment and fill with pie weights, bake 18–20 minutes until set, remove weights and bake 5–7 minutes more until golden.

04

Cool the shell

Remove the tart shell from the oven and cool on a rack until warm to the touch, about 20 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.

05

Prepare mascarpone

Whisk mascarpone with powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest until smooth and free of lumps.

06

Whip the cream

Beat cold heavy cream to soft peaks, then gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until light and homogeneous.

07

Fill the tart

Spread the mascarpone cream evenly into the cooled tart shell, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.

08

Top with blueberries

Arrange fresh blueberries in an even layer over the cream; if using, gently brush with warmed apricot glaze for shine.

09

Chill to set

Refrigerate the assembled tart until the filling is firm, at least 1 hour, then dust with powdered sugar and garnish with edible flowers if desired.

Chef Tips

• Keep butter and mascarpone cold for the best texture and easier handling.
• Blind-bake the crust fully to avoid a soggy bottom; use parchment and weights.
• If the filling seems loose, chill it briefly before folding in the whipped cream to help it hold structure.

Variations

• Mixed berry: replace half the blueberries with raspberries and blackberries.
• Lemon blueberry: fold 2 tablespoons of lemon curd into the filling.
• Almond crust: swap 1/4 cup of the flour for almond flour and add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
• Mini tarts: divide everything between tartlet pans for parties.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and press the dough into the pan rather than rolling it.

Making it ahead

Blind-bake the crust a day ahead and keep it well wrapped at room temperature. You can mix the mascarpone base up to 24 hours ahead, but fold in the whipped cream just before assembling. Fill and top the tart on the day you serve it, then chill it for 1–2 hours until set.

More fruit desserts

Try my Strawberry Cheesecake, the tropical Mango Panna Cotta, or the Easy Lemon Cake with Sweet Glaze.