Sweet and tangy, these Blueberry Cheesecake Brioche Tarts are utterly irresistible. The base is made of a buttery vanilla brioche dough that’s sprinkled with raw sugar. The heart of this tart is in the cheesecake and blueberry topping. Creamy and tangy the cheesecake filling brings a bit of tang with the addition of sour cream, and the blueberries are mixed with mint for an extra burst of fresh flavor.
Yes, I am back with another brioche tart. I just can’t help myself–this week for me has been all about the bread. I’m back on the stress eating train and so it’s been garlicky breadsticks, ciabatta slathered in butter, and these brioche tarts. Not to mention, I finally joined the rest of the world in the adventures of baking sourdough and now that my starter is healthy and ready to work with, I’ve got dough sitting in the refrigerator ready to go into the oven tomorrow morning.
Bread has been keeping me sane this past week and these Blueberry Cheesecake Brioche Tarts have been the highlight thus far. This brioche dough has become a go-to for me–it’s so easy to put together with no actual kneading and no dough hook involved (my dough hook is awful). Instead, you just use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer and let it go until you have a soft, stretchy dough that looks as if it can almost be cake batter. The dough is so buttery and soft that when you finally get it baked, it’s just a joy to bite into.
Top it off with a bit of cheesecake filling, which adds a layer of creaminess and tang to the tart, along with blueberries (I used frozen wild blueberries when I made it) mixed with mint and lemon juice, and you get a bite that brings the carbo-loaded goodness of bread with a large side of freshness. It’s part bun, part cheese danish, and a whole lot of delicious bread-based tart.
The recipe below makes seven buns which, in quarantine, is more than enough to get through the week. These Blueberry Cheesecake Brioche Tarts make for a great dessert, mid-day break treat, or brunch item. Just make the dough a day ahead, or in the morning if enjoying later in the day, and enjoy warm for the best results. If eating later on, store in an airtight container and heat in the oven or a toaster oven until warmed through.
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | 17-20 minutes |
| Passive Time | 9-24 hours hours |
| Servings |
tarts
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- 75 mL milk (skim, 2%, or whole milk will work)
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 300 grams bread flour (divided into 60 grams and 240 grams)
- 12 grams granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 2 eggs large, room temp
- 200 grams unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 Tbsp bread flour
- 1 recipe Vanilla Brioche Dough*
- 113 grams cream cheese softened (4 oz)
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar (divided into 2 Tbsp and 1/2 Tbsp)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (divided into 1 tsp and 2 tsp)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 3/4-1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, wild or regular)
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 egg (whisked with 1 Tbsp water for egg wash)
- raw sugar for sprinkling
Ingredients
Vanilla Brioche Dough*
Blueberry Cheesecake Brioche Tarts
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- In a small saucepan, heat up the milk until it just reaches 110°F. If you don't have a thermometer, you can stick a clean finger in to feel when it is just a bit warm.
- Transfer the milk to a large liquid measuring cup or the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the active dry yeast on top of the milk and stir in. Allow to sit and bubble for in a warm spot for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the yeast has activated, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 60 grams of bread flour. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap and a clean towel. Allow the sponge to rise about 90 minutes or until double in size.
- After the sponge has doubled in size, knock the air out of it and add in the other 240 grams of bread flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Place the bowl on the stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix until the flour is moistened. Mix in the vanilla extract. Slowly add in the eggs and mix until combined.
- Add the softened butter about 1 Tbsp at a time on low, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure nothing gets stuck on the side. After all the butter has been incorporated, raise the speed to medium and continue to mix for and additional 8-10 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the dough with the additional 2 1/2 Tbsp of bread flour and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Turn the mixer on medium to medium-high until the dough is smooth and shiny and begins to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Lightly grease a large bowl. Using the rubber spatula, help push the dough out of the mixing bowl and into the greased bowl. It should stretch a bit but plop straight out. You may need to use the spatula to scrape the last bit of the dough off the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Cover with a greased piece of plastic wrap and a clean towel. Allow to rest in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2-2 hours until about doubled in size.
- Refrigerate the dough for 6-8 hours, or overnight.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Knock the air out of the dough. Cut the dough into 7 equal-sized pieces, about 100 grams each. Roll each piece of dough between your hands into a ball and place on the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave plenty of space in between for flattening/shaping later. Cover the baking sheets with a greased piece of plastic wrap and a clean towel. Allow to rest for 40-60 minutes, the dough balls should rise a bit while resting.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the cheesecake and the blueberry toppings.
- CHEESECAKE: In a medium bowl using a wooden spoon or using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and combined. Add in the vanilla, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, and salt. Beat until smooth.
- BLUEBERRIES: In a small bowl, stir together the blueberries, mint, 2 tsp of lemon juice, 1/2 Tbsp of granulated sugar, and the cardamom. Allow to sit while the dough rises--the juices will pull from the fruit.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, making sure a rack is placed at the center of the oven.
- Once the balls of dough are slightly larger, it's time to shape. Using clean fingertips, gently flatten each ball of dough until you have a circle that is about 4-5inches across in diameter. Spread about 1 Tbsp (or a little more) of cheesecake in the center, making sure to leave just about an inch of dough around it. Top with a small spoon of blueberries, leaving some cheesecake still visible around the edges. Brush around the edges with the egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake one baking sheet at a time for 17-20 minutes, until a light golden brown and baked through. The cheesecake will be set and the blueberries will be cooked. You should be able to feel if the tarts are baked through by touch.
- Allow to tarts to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy while still slightly warm or seal in an airtight container and warm up to enjoy.