Mouth-watering antioxidant blueberry-orange tart

This yummy tart is an excellent choice for your health-conscious lifestyle. Packed with antioxidants and zingy flavours, it's sure to please dessert lovers!

Don't be surprised by the small amount of pepper in the filling — it heightens the blueberry flavour. These healthy tarts have science to back them: animal studies conducted at Tufts University show that blueberries help to prevent and also reverse age-related memory loss.

• Though the special substance has not been identified, scientists speculate that the overall antioxidant power of blueberries protects brain cells from free-radical damage.

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes plus chilling
Serves: 8

• 350 g (1 1/2 cups) flour
• 75 g (1/3 c) confectioners' sugar
• 10 ml (2 tsp) grated orange zest
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 95 ml (1/4 c and 3 tbsp) olive oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) plus 50 ml (1/4 c) orange juice
• 750 g (24 oz) frozen unsweetened blueberries
• 120 ml (8 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) pepper
• 0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) nutmeg
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) cornstarch

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, confectioner's sugar, orange zest, baking powder and salt. Add the oil and 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) of the orange juice, and stir until the mixture comes together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 10 times, or until the dough forms a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). With your fingertips, gently press the dough onto the bottom and sides of a 22 centimetre (nine inch) tart pan with a removable bottom. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork and line the pan with foil. Fill the foil with pie weights or dried beans and bake the shell for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights, and bake the shell for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Meanwhile, in a pot, combine the blueberries, the remaining 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) orange juice, 90 millilitres (six tablespoons) of the granulated sugar, the pepper and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for five minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) granulated sugar and the cornstarch. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the berries, and cook for two minutes, or until the berry mixture is thick.
5. Cool the blueberry mixture to room temperature, then spoon into the baked shell. Chill the tart for one hour before serving.

319 Calories / 13 g Fat / 1.7 g Saturated Fat / 3 g Protein / 50 g Carbohydrate / 3.4 g Fibre / 0 mg Cholesterol / 177 mg Sodium

One bite and you'll be adding this dessert into your staple of recipes. Good for you and tastes good, what more could you ask for?