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Blackberry Cloud Pie | A Blackberry Curd & Swiss Meringue Tart

inmykitchenwithyou
Aug 2
4 min read

Updated: Aug 23


Some recipes begin with a shopping list ...This one began with a bucket of blackberries.

The sort that arrive in a neighbour's hand with a smile and the words, "I thought you might like these." The sort that stain your fingertips purple before you've even reached the kitchen .. and those very blackberries became a delicious homemade curd, rich with a gentle sharpness and gloriously jewel coloured ( When Life Gives You Blackberries ... Make Blackberry Curd.)


Generously spooned into crisp buttery pastry and topped with a soft cloud of Swiss meringue, they became something altogether different.


White-meringue topped berry tart with red filling and edible flower garnish on a floral plate, with two blackberries nearby.


I almost toasted the meringue. I'm glad I didn't. instead, it stayed pale and pillowy, picking up the faintest lavender hue from the blackberry curd beneath. Like a little cloud drifting over the hedgerows on a warm summer afternoon. Sometimes the best recipes aren't the ones you plan. They're the ones nature quietly hands to you.


Blackberry Cloud Pie - The Recipe


Prep: 40 minutes

Chilling: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cooking: 45 minutes

Cooling: about 30–45 minutes

Assembly: 10 minutes

Total: about 3½ hours



Ingredients


For the pastry

Makes

6 to 8 individual tarts (or one 23 cm tart)


  • 225g plain flour

  • 125g cold unsalted butter, diced

  • 50g icing sugar

  • Pinch of fine sea salt

  • 1 medium egg

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

  • 1–2 tsp cold water, only if needed


For the filling


One batch of my Blackberry Curd.


Fill each tart case generously and chill until completely set.


For the Swiss Meringue

  • 150g egg whites (about 5 medium eggs)

  • 300g caster sugar

  • 1 tsp cornflour

  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar

  • ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)



Method


1. Rub in the butter

Mix the flour, icing sugar and salt. Rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. (Or pulse briefly in a food processor.)


2. Add the egg

Beat the egg with the vanilla. Add to the flour and mix gently until the dough just comes together. If it seems dry, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time. Don't overwork it.


3. Chill

Flatten into a disc. Wrap well. Chill for at least an hour. Overnight is even better.


4. Roll

Roll to about 3mm thick. Line your tart tins, pressing gently into the corners without stretching the pastry. Trim the tops. Pop back into the fridge for 30 minutes. That second chill makes a huge difference.


5. Blind bake

Heat oven to 170°C fan. Line with baking paper. Fill with baking beans. Bake:

  • 15 minutes with beans

  • Remove paper and beans

  • Bake another 8–10 minutes until beautifully golden.


If they're destined for curd, I like them just a little darker than many recipes suggest. They stay crisp for longer. As soon as the blind-baked cases come out of the oven, brush the inside with a little beaten egg white. Return them to the oven for 1 minute. It creates an invisible seal so curds don't soften the pastry. For something like Blackberry Cloud Pie, where the curd is quite generous, this is well worth doing.


Remove from the oven allow to cool.



Make the meringue


Place the egg whites and caster sugar into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.


Whisk continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture reaches around 70°C, or feels completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers.


Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high speed until the meringue is thick, glossy and completely cool. Depending on your mixer, this may take 10–15 minutes.


Finally, whisk in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla.


Assemble the pies

Once the blackberry curd has completely chilled, spoon or pipe the Swiss meringue over the top, creating a soft rounded cloud. There's no need for dramatic peaks. The beauty of these pies is their simplicity.


I chose not to toast the meringue, allowing the blackberry beneath to gently tint it with the palest hint of lavender.


To Finish

Scatter a few freshly picked blackberries around the plate and, if you have them, decorate with edible borage flowers.


Serve well chilled.


Slice of berry tart with whipped cream and blackberries on a floral plate outdoors, with green foliage in the background.

Jo's Kitchen Notes

These are at their very best on the day they're assembled.


The blackberry curd can be made several days in advance, making these wonderfully easy to put together when friends call by.


Don't be tempted to make the curd too sweet. The sharpness of the fruit is exactly what makes these sing against the soft sweetness of the meringue.



Continue Cooking With Me


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