Cranberry Tart

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Have you ever noticed that everything is pumpkin around Thanksgiving? My cranberry tart does have a little spice in it, but the lime curd gives it freshness and a spring-like quality even though it is covered in glossy cranberries.

I went to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving and was asked to bring a dessert. I was over pumpkin and I was not in the mood for an apple pie. I called my mom and asked her what she was making and she sent me this recipe. It is from an old Bon Appetit and it was exactly what I was looking for. What I love about this tart is that it looks so festive, but it does not taste like everything else that you have been eating.

This tart recipe may seem complicated, but it is not at all. You can make all of the components ahead of time, you really should anyway, as it needs to be set in the fridge overnight. I am sort of obsessed with the tart dough. It is so good and needs me to make some other deliciousness with it. I have big plans for this crust.

Cranberry Lime Tart Ingredients //

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks chilled unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Lime Curd:

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lime zest

Cranberry Topping:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 (12-ounce) bag of fresh or frozen cranberries

White Chocolate Layer:

• 5 ounces white chocolate chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• white chocolate shavings
• lime zest

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1:

I start with the lime curd. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the lime juice and cornstarch until it dissolves. Whisk in the sugar and the egg yolks. Add the butter and whisk constantly. The curd will thicken once it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Put through a strainer and stir in lime zest. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, so that it touches the curd. Chill this overnight, or for two days.

Step 2:

In a saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Add the sugar and honey. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil. Add the cranberries and cook until it comes back to a boil and the berries begin to pop about 5 minutes. You want them to keep some of their shapes. Cool completely and refrigerate until you are going to put the tart together.

Step 3:

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until melted and smooth. Take off the heat and whisk in the sour cream and vanilla. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble.

Step 4:

In the food processor, process the flour, sugar, almonds, and salt until ground. Add in the butter and vanilla. Pulse until it forms soft clumps. Turn it out and form into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for one hour. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (I did not have one, so I used a springform pan instead.)  Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the crust until it is golden brown. About 25 minutes. If the crust starts to puff up, just press it back down with the back of a spoon.

Step 5:

To assemble the tart, spread the white chocolate layer into the bottom of the crust. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Step 6:

Cover the white chocolate layer with the lime curd.

Step 7:

Cover the lime curd with cranberries. Garnish with white chocolate shavings and lime zest. Chill overnight. The whole thing can be made two days ahead of time.

The white chocolate layer gives the tart some richness and I fell in love. Sadly, I was so in love, that I forgot to take pictures of it cut. I promise it is pretty.

Variations //

The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons of Chinese five-spice powder. I do not like star anise, so used a combination of spices instead. If you do like it, (my mom says that it is delicious) substitute the five-spice for the cinnamon, clove, and allspice.