Ingredients for the tarts:
8 individual sized fully-cooked butter tart shells or 1- 9″ fully baked butter tart shell (recipe found here)
4 cups of blueberries, washed and picked over
1/2 cup of water plus 2 Tablespoons of water, divided
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup (or more, to taste) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
To make the tarts:
Combine 2 Tablespoons of water with the 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with a fork or small whisk in a measuring cup. Set aside.
Put the berries into a large mixing bowl. Measure out 1 cup of the berries, including as many of the underripe ones as you can find, into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat.
Add 1/2 cup of the water to the berries in the pan, cover and bring to a boil. When the berries and water reach a boil, remove the lid, lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until most of the berries have burst and the liquid has begun to thicken, about 4 minutes. While stirring constantly, add the cornstarch mixture, the sugar and the lemon juice to the pan. Simmer until the juices become thick and translucent, about 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and pour over the remaining berries in the bowl. Toss gently to coat thoroughly. Spoon the blueberry mixture into the tart shells. Cover lightly with plastic wrap or a cake dome and allow to rest at room temperature. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Store uneaten tarts at room temperature for up to two days.
Ingredients for the ice cream:
12 ounces fresh mascarpone
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups plus 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
2/3 cup dulce de leche
To make the ice cream:
Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. (Alternately, you can whisk them in a stand mixer or use a hand-blender to combine the ingredients until smooth.) Freeze according to the directions for your ice cream maker. This is best served freshly churned. If you need to freeze it for later use, allow to soften on the countertop for between fifteen minutes and a half hour prior to serving.
