The blackberry crostata is one of the easiest desserts out there, and one of the most beloved. A slice of any fruit-filled tart or pie is irresistible year-round, and autumn is all about blackberries. Enjoy this delightful vegan blackberry crostata at breakfast or coupled with your afternoon tea.
Less is more
Part tart and part pie, the crostata originated in the 15th century – and the crust recipe, which contains flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, and salt, dates back even further. For so few ingredients, the dough can be tricky – you have to find the perfect balance between crumbly and crunchy textures.
How to make it
In a bowl, whisk together 1¾ stick butter, 1 cup sugar, the grated peel of 1 lemon, 5 egg yolks, and a pinch of salt. Add 4 cups all-purpose flour and knead all the ingredients until combined and compact. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least one hour. Divide the dough in half and roll one section into a circular shape on a well-floured work surface using a rolling pin. (The base should be 1/5″ thick.) Butter a pie mold and spread the crostata dough inside, removing the excess dough along the edges.
For the filling, you can do one of two things – either use fresh blackberries or blackberry jam. If you’re using fresh blackberries, mix 1 lb. blackberries, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and the juice of ½ lemon in a bowl. Once combined, pierce the pie mold with the tines of a fork and pour the blackberries over the first layer of crostata dough, then cover with the other half of the dough. Pierce a few holes in the center and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. If you want to make a blackberry tart using jam, just spread it onto the first layer of dough and cut the second dough into strips, and place them on top of the jam layer. Bake at 350°F for around 30-35 minutes.
Vegan style
Sift 4 cups all-purpose flour and shape it into a small fountain. Add ¾ cup, 2 cups brown sugar, 9 oz. soy butter, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup cold soy milk. Knead for about 15 minutes. Once the dough is dense and compact, cover it with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for around an hour. In the meantime, make the custard. Add 2 cups soy milk to a small saucepan over low heat, followed by 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, 7 Tbsp. brown sugar, and ½ pod of fresh vanilla bean. Whisk continuously to keep lumps from forming and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes and let cool. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/5″ and use it to line a pie mold. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Once baked, decorate with custard and blackberries.
Fake it till you make it with puff pastry dough
If you're short on time, you can use some pre-packaged puff pastry dough. Just roll it out, pierce the center and fill it with 1 lb. blackberries. (You can also use ½ lb. grapes and ½ lb. blackberries.) Fold the pastry in over itself like a galette to keep the filling from falling out while baking. Brush the dough with a beaten egg yolk and bake for around 20 minutes. Serve hot with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream.
