Oooey, Gooey Blueberry Tarts

Yes, yes. I did make these before. 'Cept last time I forgot to grease the tins and the tarts got stuck and crumbled to bits and for some reason all landed in my belly.

I'll share the recipe again for my new readers and I'll add a few tips that helped mine turn out perfect this time around.

Oooey, Gooey Blueberry Tarts
Makes: 12 tarts (That's 6 each if you share with a friend, hee hee.)

Pastry:

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
l lb Tenderflake lard
1 tbsp vinegar
1 egg, lightly beaten
water

Mix together flour and salt. Cut in Tenderflake lard with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles course oatmeal. In a one cup measure, combine vinegar and egg and add cold water to make one cup. Gradually stir liquid into flour/lard mixture. Gather into a ball. Divide into portions and wrap unused portions in for refrigerator or freezer. Roll dough onto floured surface. Cut out 12 tart shells using a 4'' round cookie cutter. Fold tart shells into greased cupcake/muffin tin.

Filling:

2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the berries, sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch together. Spoon mixture evenly into tart shells. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot the top of the tarts. Refrigerate tarts for 15-20 minutes while the oven is preheating. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Allow the tarts to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pans.

Tips:

1. Don't forget to grease the tins!!!! If you don't, your pastry will stick and you will crush your tarts to bits trying to get them out.

2. Don't fill the tart shells too full since the filling bubbles and rises and looks all crazy-like during the last ten minutes of baking. If they're too full the filling will spill out over the edges and make a mess.

3. Allow the tarts to cool for a few minutes but don't wait so long that the filling starts to harden. If any of the filling is touching the tin it will stick and make them hard to get out.

4. Chill the tarts before putting them in the oven. Don't ask questions. Just do it!

5. Don't eat anything for the whole day until these come out of the oven. Then they'll taste extra-super-duper good.

P.S. I like pastry a LOT so I make my shells nice n' thick. Oh yeah.

P.S.S. Did you know that milk tastes better when you drink it out of an old (but clean) jar? It really, truly does.