Blueberry Tart Limousin

Desserts

Buttery, crumbly pastry filled with tiny wild blueberries that are barely sweetened, letting their natural tartness shine through. The berries burst with sharp, concentrated flavor against the sweet pastry, staining everything a deep inky purple. It's fragrant, jammy, and intensely fruity. The pastry shatters into golden crumbs, the berries are soft and juicy, and each slice brings a bit of French mountain summer to the table.

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 6

Cook ModeTurn this on to keep your screen awake while cooking

Ingredients  

1x2x3x?

For the pâte sablée (a sweet crumbly shortcrust pastry)

• 250 gr plain flour
• 150 gr unsalted butter
• 50 gr icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 30 ml cold water
• 1 pinch salt

For the filling

• 500 gr blueberries preferably wild if you can find them
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 80 gr caster sugar
• lemon juice
• 30 gr ground almonds for dusting the tart base

Equipment

• 1 fluted flan dish 28 cm
• 1 rolling pin
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 whisk
• 1 fork

Instructions

1. 1. Make the dough

   Begin by preparing the pâte sablée. In a large bowl, rub the flour and cold, cubed butter together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar and a pinch of salt, then mix in the egg yolk and cold water. Knead gently until the dough forms a smooth ball. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. This resting period ensures a tender, crumbly pastry.
2. 2. Prepare the tart base

   Preheat your oven to 210°C (410°F). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry to fit your 28 cm fluted flan dish, make it slightly larger than the base to accommodate the fluted sides. Gently line the flan dish with the dough, pressing it into the ridges for that iconic fluted edge. Prick the base lightly with a fork. Sprinkle a thin layer of ground almonds over the base to prevent the pastry from becoming soggy with the juicy berries.
3. 3. Prepare the filling

   In a bowl, gently toss the blueberries with caster sugar, plain flour (or cornstarch), and the lemon juice. The flour will help thicken the berry juices while baking, and the lemon juice brightens the flavour beautifully.
4. 4. Assemble the tart

   Spread the sugared berries evenly over the pastry base, ensuring every corner is filled. Sprinkle a little extra caster sugar over the top to give a lovely caramelised finish while baking.
5. 5. Bake to golden perfection

   Place the tart on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for around 30 minutes. You want the pastry golden and crisp, and the berries bubbling with a glossy finish.
6. 6. Cool and serve

   Allow the tart to cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, delicious on its own or with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

• Using wild blueberries (myrtilles sauvages) is traditional and best if you can source them, offering a perfect balance of sweet and tart. If fresh are unavailable, frozen can be used but drain well to avoid excess juice.
• The lemon juice is essential to elevate the berries’ freshness.
• The sugared flour mixture in the filling keeps the tart from becoming soggy.

About this recipe

This Blueberry tart has a special place in the culinary heart of Limoges and the greater Limousin region, a territory of great green forests and rolling hills where wild blueberries (known locally as “myrtilles” or “brimbelles”) grow in abundance each summer. Locals have foraged these tiny, wild berries for generations, returning home with baskets full of summer’s purest flavour. It’s little wonder the blueberry tart has become such a cherished symbol of rural French cooking.

Unlike commercial cultivated blueberries, wild blueberries are smaller, darker, and packed with a more intense, tart flavour, lending the tart its distinctive sharpness and depth. Their unique taste has made the tart an emblematic dish that symbolizes the mountain terroirs of Limousin, as well as nearby regions like Auvergne and the Vosges.

The tart itself remains delightfully simple, typically featuring a crumbly “pâte sablée” base which resembles a sweet crumbly shortcrust, topped generously with wild berries and a touch of sugar and lemon to enhance the natural flavour. This restrained style respects the integrity of the fruit, relying on its purity and potency, rather than rich custards or heavy creams common in other regional versions.

Wild blueberries in France are still largely foraged rather than widely farmed, though recent years have seen growth in blueberry cultivation, with France producing around 3,300 tons in 2025, including commercial orchards modernising with new varieties to extend the harvest season. Despite this, the revered wild variety remains a treasured foraged ingredient cherished for its ecological and cultural importance.

The blueberry tart from Limousin continues to be a seasonal highlight, especially in mountain lodges and family homes. When baked, the berries collapse into a deep, inky purple layer that perfumes the kitchen. Eating a slice is like tasting summer itself!