Cranberry Curd Tart

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This Cranberry Curd Tart is a showstopping holiday dessert with a buttery, sweet pastry crust and a silky-smooth cranberry orange filling that's the most gorgeous shade of ruby red! It's an elegant alternative to traditional Thanksgiving pies and looks absolutely stunning on a Christmas dessert table!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Chilling Time2

Total Time3 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Crust

1 large egg yolk
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (176g) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (65g) powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold salted butter cut into chunks

Filling

1 lb. (454g) fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
Zest from 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
2 large eggs room temperature
2 large egg yolks
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons (43g) salted butter softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Decoration

1 batch homemade whipped cream
1 batch sugared cranberries

Instructions

Make the Crust

Whisk together the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.
1 large egg yolk, 1 Tablespoon heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food process and briefly process to combine. Add the cold butter pieces to the flour mixture and pulse to cut into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 pulses.
1 1/4 cups (176g) all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup (65g) powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup cold salted butter
While the food process is running, add the liquid through the feed tube and continue to process just until the dough comes together around the blade.
Turn out the tart dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 6-inch disk, then wrap it tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let sit out on the counter for 10 minutes to soften slightly before rolling out.
Roll out the pastry crust on a lightly floured surface until it is slightly larger than your tart pan (mine is a 9-inch pan). Carefully transfer the dough to the pan by rolling it onto the rolling pin, then gently easing the dough into the pan, pressing into the corners and fluted sides of the pan.
Run the rolling pin over the top of the pan so that the excess dough gets cut off on the edge of the pin, making a clean edge. Patch any edges that are too thin with excess dough, trimming away the edge again as necessary. Freeze the tart shell for 30 minutes.
When ready to bake the tart shell, heat oven to 375℉. Press a double layer of foil into the frozen tart shell, covering the edges of the pan and filling the tart shell with pie weights. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, then carefully remove the pie weights and foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until the tart shell is fully baked and golden. Cool completely before filling.

Make the Filling

Cook cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice for 10-15 minutes over medium heat until cranberries have popped and softened. You can press them against the inside of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon to help them burst and release their juices.
1 lb. (454g) fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar, Zest from 1 orange , 1 cup orange juice
Remove from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour the puree into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and use the back of a spoon to press most of the liquid through, discarding the solids.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot cranberry puree to temper the eggs. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over low heat until bubbling and thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1/8 teaspoon salt
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, then pour the cooled cranberry curd into the prepared tart shell and smooth with a spatula.
3 Tablespoons (43g) salted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Bake at 350℉ (177℃) for 10-15 minutes. The tart should still jiggle slightly in the center but be set around the edges.
Cool completely, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours before decorating with the whipped cream and sugared cranberries. I transferred my whipped cream to a piping bag with an open tip and piped dollops of cream around the edges of the tart to create a decorative design but you could just spread it in swoops over the tart for an easier finish. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
1 batch sugared cranberries, 1 batch homemade whipped cream

Notes

Graham Cracker or Biscoff Cookie Crust: Combine (150g) graham cracker crumbs, 3 Tablespoons (37g) granulated sugar, and 4 Tablespoons (56g) melted salted butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Press into the tart pan then proceed with the recipe like normal.
Meringue Version: Whisk together 7 egg whites and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until they reach 160°F. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and add another 2/3 cup granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar. Whisk on medium-high speed for 7-10 minutes until thick and glossy stiff peaks form. You should be able to rub the meringue between your fingers and it will feel smooth instead of grainy. Pile on top of the pie and torch using a kitchen blow torch just before serving.
Make-ahead pastry dough: Make the dough up to 3 days in advance, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out.
Make-ahead baked tart shell: Bake the pastry crust a day in advance and store it tightly covered at room temperature once completely cooled.
Make-ahead cranberry curd: Prepare the cranberry curd up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Make-ahead assembled tart: Make the tart a day before serving and refrigerate it overnight. Wait to add the whipped cream and sugared cranberries until shortly before serving for the freshest appearance.
Storage: Store leftover cranberry tart covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The crust will gradually soften as it sits, so it's best enjoyed within the first day or two.
Freezer: You can freeze the undecorated tart for up to 1 month, wrapped tightly to protect it from freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding fresh whipped cream and sugared cranberries. The texture may soften slightly after freezing.

Nutrition

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