After having picked a large Tupperware box full of blackberries I decided to put some to good use and make this delicious tart.  I count myself very lucky to have such a rich bounty of blackberries growing on the beautiful South Downs which happen to start right outside our back gate.  Apples and blackberries are of course a classic combination and here I have added hazelnuts and Yoghurt and topped the tart with a crunchy oat crumble mixture which makes for a wonderful crunchy texture.

Apple, Blackberry & Hazelnut Crumble Tart

INGREDIENTS

For the Pastry

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 200g plain flour
• 50g roasted, ground hazelnuts
• 1 medium egg, beaten

For the Filling

• 350g natural yoghurt
• 40g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 2 medium eggs
• pinch of salt
• ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 2 medium eating apples, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
• 200g fresh or frozen blackberries

For the Crumble Topping

• 60g plain flour
• 50g oats
• 50g roasted, chopped hazelnuts
• 50g caster sugar
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 60g unsalted butter, melted

METHOD

1. For the Pastry, put the butter and sugar into a bowl and, using a wooden spoon or a hand held mixer, beat together until pale and creamy.
2. Add the egg and beat until just incorporated. Sift in the flour and add the ground hazelnuts. Gently beat together until the mixture comes together in a rough dough.
3. Bring the mixture together with your hands into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Grease the sides and line the base of a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin with baking parchment.
5. Dust your work surface lightly with flour and roll out your pastry to a thickness of about 2 mm or roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of clingfilm.
6. Drape the pastry over the tin and lightly press it into the corners and sides of the tin. Trim of the overhanging pastry, prick the base with a fork and chill the pastry case for another 20 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
8. Line the chilled pastry case with a sheet of crumpled parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Bake the pastry case blind for 15 minutes.
9. Reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan. Remove the baking beans and parchment paper and return the pastry case to the oven for another 12 – 15 minutes, until golden brown.
10. For the Crumble Topping, put the flour, oats, hazelnuts, caster sugar, muscovado sugar, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and mix together to combine.
11. Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave and pour over the dry mixture. Mix together until just combined and set aside.
12. For the Filling, place the yoghurt, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla extract and salt into a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
13. Stir in the apples and carefully fold in the blackberries. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and sprinkle over the crumble mixture.
14. Bake for a further 35 minutes if using fresh blackberries or 40 minutes if using frozen blackberries.
15. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing the tart from the tin.