Imagine a dramatic dreamscape with steep hills that climb high above the fog line, each blanketed in a lush, verdant cover of avocado trees dripping with fresh avos just waiting to be picked. Snuggled in the valley below are rows upon rows of blueberry bushes bursting with juicy, fat blueberries. I know. It doesn’t sound real, but I assure you, this dreamland exists and it is the inspiration for these Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust.
Back in May, I joined an agri-tour in Temecula Valley, CA with my best friends in food, California Grown. These agri-tours are a highlight of my job. From each tour, I take an overwhelming breadth of information and inspiration. The cherry on top is getting to share what I learned with you all!
This hypnotizing Artichoke Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting was inspired by a visit to an artichoke farm in Monterey County. My easy and versatile Cinnamon Raisin Honey Butter Board came to fruition after riding a harvester through the DOV Raisin fields in Madera, CA. And now, we can add Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust to the delicious list!
California's Temecula Valley has a unique microclimate with ample sun, similar to the Mediterranean.
Before this tour, I knew pretty much nothing about California's Temecula Valley. I left feeling like I'd been visiting for years. Not only is it a booming wine region in Southern California, but Temecula has a unique microclimate that provides ideal growing conditions for a bounty of fruits, vegetables and flowers year-round.
We savored a small taste of all Temecula, CA has to offer on this agri-tour.
- Our stay at South Coast Winery offered comfortable accommodations, alluring vineyard views, gorgeous grounds, and a wonderful world of wines and delectable eats. All of that goodness in one place.
- The comprehensive tour of Fairfield Farms showed us how they are able to grow avocados and blueberries right alongside one another. Who knew that was possible?
- We visited Rezendiz Brothers Flower Farm where colorful Protea flowers pepper the dramatic hillside with vibrance and otherworldly beauty for acres and acres. They set us free to cut as many of the exotic, hypnotic Protea we could carry on our bus ride back.
- At a lovely wine and food tasting at Europa Village, Chef Hany Ali introduced us to his mother's recipe for the most crave-able hummus on the planet. It's made with fresh, green, locally grown chickpeas. I'm not sure I can ever go back to regular hummus again.
Fairfield Farms in Pauma Valley, CA grows organic avocados along steep hills and blueberries in the valley.
Our tour brought us to Fairfield Farms, run by the Steed family since 2003. Over the past two decades, the farm has become a leader in organic and sustainable practices. The dramatic elevation changes at Fairfield Farms allow them to grow organic avocados along steep hills and blueberries in the valley. They harness pure energy with on-site solar power and capture and distribute water throughout the farm from a reservoir located on the property. There are even bees on location to naturally pollinate the plants.
Fairfield Farms' avocado season spans February - August
We took a ride up the steep hills in the back of a tractor-trailer to visit the avocado groves. It was a bumpy and beautiful adventure, winding through lush, leafy avocado trees. The air was fresh and the views were impossibly stunning on the hill, making it easy to understand how Fairfield Farms is able to grow such delicious, quality fruit. They grow a number of avocado varietals to accommodate a lengthy growing season.
Fairfield Farms' blueberry season spans April - June
Once we came down the hill and dropped in elevation, we landed in a climate that was just right for growing blueberries. In fact, this microclimate is so unique that Fairfield Farms is the only blueberry grower in the entire region. This allows them to offer blueberries during the gap between the Central California and Mexican blueberry seasons. Bring on the Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust!
These darling Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust harness the spirit of the Temecula Valley with local, California-grown ingredients.
- Avocado - the star of the creamy, dreamy filling in these tarts. The avocados growing along the hillsides of Fairfield Farms make for an immensely creamy tart with zero added dairy.
- Blueberries - the crowning jewel of the tarts adds a summery pop of color and fresh flavor. A perfect pairing to the creamy avocado filling.
- Honey - locally-sourced honey is blended into the filling of these avocado tarts adding a natural sweetness. Bees on the Fairfield property help to naturally pollinate the trees while producing honey.
- Lemon - citrus trees dot the property at Fairfield Farms and grow very well in the Temecula climate. Lemon zest and juice are blended into the avocado filling to brighten up the earthy flavor.
- Almonds - another very CA crop. Almonds play so well with the other ingredients, they're a natural addition to the Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust. The roughly ground almonds add a crunchy nuttiness to the tart shells, and almond extract boosts the flavor depth of the shells.
Made with just 10 simple ingredients, these Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust are a no-brainer.
The warm summer weather is a real deterrent for turning on the oven for baking. Thankfully, this Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust recipe only requires the oven to be on for about 20 minutes at 350° F. The almond tart shells bake up quickly and the avocado tart filling doesn't require any cooking or baking at all. Plus, the press-in almond crust couldn't be easier to assemble.
Easy Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust are an ideal summer dessert situation.
These bright and bold tarts feature an easy, set-it-and-forget type of filling. Made by simply blending together avocado, honey, lemon juice and lemon zest, the tart filling could not be easier. Once blended, the luscious creamy filling is poured into the almond tart shells and then chilled for a few hours. So easy!
If the heat is really getting to ya, put the tarts in the freezer for a couple of hours and serve them frozen. The cold Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust end up tasting like a summery citrus sorbet tart. A delightfully refreshing treat for a hot summer day!
A great big gracious thank you to California Grown for taking me along for another immersive and educational agri-tour. As always, I was blown away by the dedication and skill of the farmers and farmworkers who work diligently to provide us with fresh and nourishing food, flowers and wine!
Read about my previous agri-tours with California Grown in Monterey County, Central California Coast and the California Central San Joaquin Valley.
Print📖 Recipe
Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust
- Total Time: 4 hours 38 minutes
- Yield: 6 individual tarts
Description
Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust feature a creamy, dreamy lemon-scented, honey-sweetened avocado filling in almond shortbread shells topped with fresh, bursting blueberries.
Ingredients
Almond Shortbread Crust
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
¾ cup sliced almonds or almond flour
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Avocado Filling
3-4 large ripe avocados, peeled and seeded (about 2 cups lightly smashed)
½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice + 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2-3 large lemons)
½ cup honey
pinch of fine sea salt
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
a few sprigs of thyme, mint or basil (optional)
Instructions
Almond Shortbread Crust
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Add sliced almonds to a food processor and pulse until roughly coarse. Add the rest of the tart shell ingredients and pulse until the mix just starts to come together but the dough is still crumbly.Â
- Divide the dough evenly between six 4.75″ removable bottom tartlet pans, about ¼ cup dough in each shell. With lightly floured hands, gently press the dough into the pans so it covers the bottom and pinch along the sides to create a thin, fluted edge up the sides of each pan. Prick small holes in the bottom of each tart using a fork.
- Place the tart pans together on a baking sheet. I like to line the baking sheet with a Silpat silicone baking mat to keep the tarts from sliding around on the pan. Bake for about 15-18 minutes until the shortbread dough puffs up a bit and is a warm golden color all over. If it gets too puffy, use the back of a measuring cup to gently press the dough back down in the center. Set aside and allow the shells to cool.
- Once cool, carefully remove the shells from the tart pans and place on a baking sheet.Â
Avocado Filling
- Place all avocado filling ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.
- Divide the filling evenly between the chilled tart crusts. Use an offset spatula to smooth the filling.
- Top each tart with ¼ cup of blueberries.Â
- Refrigerate or freeze for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, optionally add sprigs of thyme, mint or basil for herby freshness. Serve chilled or frozen, depending on your mood and the weather. I personally love these tarts frozen on a hot summery day.
Notes
*Serve chilled or frozen. To freeze, simply place the prepared tarts in the freezer until fully frozen. Either top with berries before freezing for a frozen berry experience. Or add them just before serving for a fresh berry experience. This is choose your own adventure type of recipe. 🙂
*If it's just too hot to bake, store-bought tart shells are a good option. Or just make the filling and serve it with Vanilla Wafers or other cookies for dipping! Again, you've got options.
- Prep Time: 20
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 18
- Category: Dessert
Keywords: Avocado Blueberry Tarts with Almond Crust, Tarts, Avocado Tarts, Blueberry Tarts, Avocado Blueberry Tarts
This post was proudly made in partnership with California Grown. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @cagrownofficial on Instagram to learn more about the foods grown in California, farm practices, and discover new recipes!
