What do you do when creativity deserts you? You could flip it off, but being both the giver and receiver of that gesture doesn’t feel great. If you’re anything like me, you’ll end up wasting time on distractions, which leads to mental bargaining and a parade of half-truths — an exhausting exercise in excuse-making.
I know—weak.
Since I’ve been stuck in a creative lull, I went back to basics and made a mixed berry tart. It’s simple but flavorful: plenty of berries for a balance of sweet and tart, and a crust that offers buttery flakiness with a subtle nutty note from toasted almond meal. A pinch of cardamom in the crust adds a delicate aromatic layer that lifts the profile without stealing the show.
Back to our earlier thread about creative blocks and the seductive pull of distractions—there isn’t a tidy solution I can offer. If someone has a magic trick, I’d gladly learn it. In my experience the cure is the same as for most habits: practice and discipline. So I work through a creative funk by keeping my hands busy. I almost skipped posting this tart because it felt less inventive than some of my past projects, but sharing the routine matters as much as producing something spectacular.
Steady does it, right?
Mixed Berry Tart
Ingredients
- CRUST
- 1/3 cup (1 oz.) almonds, toasted and finely ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 cup plus 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cold
- 1/4 cup cold water
- FILLING
- 6 oz. blueberries
- 6 oz. raspberries
- 6 oz. blackberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons coarse sugar
Instructions
PREPARATION
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
TO MAKE THE CRUST
- Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, about 7–9 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
- In a food processor, combine the cooled almonds, salt, cardamom and 1/2 cup of flour; process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the remaining all-purpose flour and cake flour and pulse to blend. Add the sugar and pulse again. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the machine running, pour the cold water in a slow, steady stream until the dough pulls away from the bowl. If needed, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it comes together.
- Turn the dough onto plastic wrap, shape into a disk, wrap tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before using.
TO MAKE THE FILLING
- In a bowl, gently toss the blueberries, raspberries and blackberries with the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and cornstarch until evenly coated.
ASSEMBLY
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Pile the mixed berries in the center, leaving a one-inch border of dough all the way around.
- Fold the edge of the dough toward the center to form a rustic crust. Brush the crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the crust is golden around the edges and the filling is bubbling.
NOTES:
- To keep the butter cold and produce a flakier crust, grate frozen butter into the dry ingredients.
- Feel free to vary the fruit combination to match what’s in season or your personal preference.