When a friend comes for dinner (a friend who had picked you half a bucket of blackberries the day before), it’s the least I can do to make them a blackberry tart for dessert.

Here is the recipe.

Blackberry Tart

For the filling

600g fresh or frozen blackberries

½ cup sugar (or to taste)

4 teaspoons cornflour mixed to a paste with 1/4 cup cold water

1 x quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe to follow)

1 egg white, lightly whisked

For the pastry

125g butter

125g sugar

1 egg

250g plain flour

Pinch baking powder

Method

To make the filling

Bring the blackberries to the boil in a saucepan over medium low heat. Simmer only until the berries are soft and the juices are flowing.

Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.

Bring back to the boil and thicken, stirring constantly, to a custard-type consistency with some or all of the cornflour paste. (You may need a little more cornflour paste but use with care—too much will mean dulling that wonderful berry flavour.  Keep in mind also that the mixture will by its very nature thicken as it cools.)

Set aside to cool to room temperature.

To make the pastry

Whisk the butter and sugar together until light, then whisk in the egg. 

Fold in the combined flour and baking powder and mix until well combined and the mixture has formed a soft dough. 

Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To assemble

Heat oven to 190°C (fan forced). Grease a 20-cm pie dish.

Roll two thirds of the pastry to 3 mm thick on a surface that has been lightly dusted with flour.

Press into the prepared dish and trim the edges. Brush with the egg white.

Spoon in the blackberry filling and level out.

Roll out the remaining pastry and cut into strips.  Place in a lattice pattern over the blackberry filling.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Leave to stand for at least 30 minutes in the dish before cutting into generous slices to serve.