Cranberry Pecan Tart

Here’s a beautiful and delicious recipe from our core member Julia! It comes just at the right time to use all those beautiful cranberries and pecans we got this week!

(Adapted from GOURMET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2002)

For (1) 10 inch tart shell:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ¾ stick of cold unsalted butter cut into ½ inch

• 2 tablespoons of cold vegetable shortening

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Blend together flour, butter, shortening and salt in bowl with your fingertips or in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal with very small butter lumps. 

Drizzle evenly with ice water and gently stir until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful. If it does not hold together slowly add more cold water. 

Turn our dough onto a lightly floured surface and smear once or twice with the heel of your hand. 

Then flatten into a 5 inch disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 14 inch round and then fit into a tart pan with a removable bottom. 

Trim excess dough and lightly price sides of the shell with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425.

Line shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until pastry is set and golden, about 12 minutes.  Then remove foil and weights and bake shell until golden all over – another 5 to 10 minutes. Cool shell on a rack.

For the Filling:

• 1 ¼ cup pecan halves (5 oz.)

• ¾ cup sugar

• ¾ cup light corn syrup

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 large eggs

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 cup of chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook ½ cup of the sugar in a dry 2 quart heavy sauce pan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork to help the sugar melt into a deep golden caramel. 

Tilt pan and carefully add corn syrup. This will create steam. Cook over low heat until the caramel is dissolved.

Remove pan from heat and add butter, stirring until melted and then cool the caramel.  

Wisk together eggs, salt, vanilla and remaining ¼ cup sugar. The add caramel to this in a stream.

Spread cranberries and pecans evenly in the tart shell and pour caramel over them. Tap down the cranberries and pecans so that they are evenly coated.

Bake tart in the middle of oven until the filling is set, about 35 minutes. Cool completely on rack before removing the rim of the pan.

Did you try this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below!