The lattice top is a hallmark of classic baking, and this blackberry and bay crostata recipe is the perfect opportunity to master the technique. This guide will walk you through creating a visually stunning dessert with a crisp, buttery crust and a rich, aromatic fruit filling. Impress your friends and family with a bake that looks like it came straight from an artisanal bakery.
First, you will prepare an exceptional jam that forms the heart of this tart. By allowing blackberries to macerate in sugar and lemon juice, you create a base that is both sweet and tangy. The addition of bay leaves during the cooking process introduces a subtle, herbaceous note that provides a wonderful complexity. The recipe includes a simple test to ensure your jam is the perfect consistency for filling a tart.
The success of any tart lies in its pastry, and this recipe delivers a tender, crumbly crust that is a joy to eat. The dough, an Italian pasta frolla, is enriched with extra egg yolks for richness. It’s important not to overwork the dough and to give it ample time to chill. This step ensures the pastry is easy to handle and bakes up perfectly crisp.
Now for the main event: the lattice. After lining a tart tin with the larger portion of dough and filling it with your cooled jam, you will roll out the remaining dough. Using a sharp knife or a fluted pastry wheel, cut even strips. Lay half the strips in one direction over the jam, spacing them apart. Fold back every other strip, lay a perpendicular strip across, and then unfold them. Repeat this weaving process to create a beautiful, interlocking pattern.
After trimming the edges and brushing with milk, the tart is baked until the lattice is a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cooling is essential to allow the structure to set. The result is a professional-looking crostata with a perfect balance of crisp pastry and luscious jam in every bite.