Cranberry Pecan Tart
Such a festive looking tart to serve as a holiday dessert; it has the same sweet rich taste of pecan pie, but with the added flavor of sweet-tart cranberries. The cranberries and pecans are placed in the bottom of a sweet tart pastry shell with the filling poured on top; and then during baking they float to the top to make a pretty and colorful topping.
Recipe type: Dessert | Fruit Tart | Nut Tart
Serves: 8 to 10
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 10" Tart with Removable Bottom Pastry: Sweet Tart Pastry Prep: Baked Starting Oven Temp: 425° Storage: Cover and Refrigerate
Ingredients
Sweet Tart Pastry:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into ¼ inch pieces
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 to 4 tablespoons half-and-half cream or whipping (heavy) cream
Filling:
- 1½ cups pecan halves
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
Sweet Tart Pastry:
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cream. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the dough comes together and can be formed into a ball. Tip: If the dough seems too dry and is not forming into a ball, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream.
- Form dough into a ball and flatten the ball into a 6 inch disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to chill the dough, or refrigerate up to 3 days before using.
- On a lightly floured pastry mat or pastry board, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the chilled pastry to a 12 inch circle and fit into a 10 or 10½ inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press pastry gently against the sides of the tart pan. Trim excess pastry to ½ inch. Fold the edge of the pastry under and press gently around the rim to seal the edge, allowing pastry to extend ⅛ to ¼ inch above the top of the pan to allow for shrinkage. Leave the border plain for a rustic look or crimp as desired. Lightly prick the bottom and sides with a fork at three-fourth or one inch intervals. Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate tart shell until firm, at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line the pie pastry with parchment paper, aluminum foil, or a large coffee filter. Fill the pastry with pie weights or dried beans or rice to keep the pastry from puffing up and shrinking.
- Bake: Leaving the tart shell on the baking sheet, bake 15 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and pie weights or beans and continue to bake another 5 to 6 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Filling:
- By hand, break the pecans into coarse, uneven pieces, leaving a few unbroken. Having a mixture of both large and small pecan pieces adds a nice visual texture to the tart. Don’t chop with a knife as this creates small crumbs. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a rubber spatula or wire whisk, lightly blend the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the corn syrup, and melted butter, and vanilla. Lightly stir together to completely blend. Do not over-mix, which will create air bubbles.
- Leave the cooled tart shell on the baking sheet for adding the filling and baking so the bottom of the pan doesn’t separate from the outside ring when moved. Arrange the cranberries in the bottom of the pastry shell, and top with the pecans. Pour the filling over the cranberries and pecans.
- Bake: Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is golden and the tart jiggles slightly if the pan is given a gentle shake. Tip: During baking, if crust is getting too brown, loosely place a piece of foil over the top to prevent the crust from over-browning.
- Remove from oven. Cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 3 hours before cutting and serving. The filling will firm as it cools and the center will sink. Cover and refrigerate within 8 hours. Refrigerate Leftovers.