Blueberry Cheese Tart

Ingredients:

340g rich shortcrust pastry (ie made with 340g flour)
125g cream cheese (or you can use my home-made cream cheese recipe to prepare your own)
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
500g fresh blueberries
2 tbsp seedless blackberry jam (heat blackberry jam and pass through a fine-meshed sieve)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

Prepare the pastry according to the recipe then roll out until large enough to cover the base and sides of a 23cm diameter fluted flan tin. Brush the tin with melted butter then carefully add the pastry.

Trim the edges with a sharp knife then re-roll the scraps into a rectangle about 10 x 23 cm in size and 2mm thick. Cut into longs strips 3mm wide and brush with the extra beaten egg.

Using an electric whisk, beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a small mixing bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add the egg, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until well combined.

Spread this cheese mixture evenly over the pastry then top with the blueberries.

Combine the jam and lemon juice in a small pan and stir over low heat until the jam has melted then take off the heat. Gently spoon this over the blueberries then arrange the pastry strips in a lattice pattern over the tart. Gently press the the edges to seal to the base.

Trim off any excess pastry then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cheese mixture has set and the blueberries are bubbling.

Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold, accompanied by cream or ice cream.