Cranberry Almond Tart

This tart uses a shortbread-like crust and a lightly thickened cranberry filling so the fruit stays vivid and sliceable. Almonds add crunch and a warm, toasty note, while orange zest rounds out the sharpness of the cranberries.

By Julienne

Cook time: 40 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 160 g all-purpose flour divided
• 50 g granulated sugar divided
• 2 g fine salt divided
• 113 g unsalted butter cold, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
• 30 ml ice water cold
• 60 g sliced almonds toasted
• 30 g all-purpose flour divided
• 1 large egg white lightly beaten, for sealing the crust
• 340 g cranberries fresh or frozen
• 100 g granulated sugar divided
• 20 g cornstarch none
• 2 g orange zest finely grated
• 60 ml orange juice freshly squeezed
• 1 g fine salt divided
• 2 ml almond extract none
• 20 g powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Make the crust: combine 160 g flour, 50 g sugar, and 2 g salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Mix in the egg yolk and 30 ml ice water just until the dough comes together; add only enough water to form a cohesive dough. The dough holds together when pressed without feeling wet or sticky.
2. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it, and chill it for 20 minutes. While it chills, heat the oven to 190°C and toast the sliced almonds on a sheet pan until lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes; cool them. The almonds smell nutty and are pale gold at the edges.
3. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round large enough for a 9-inch tart pan. Fit it into the pan, trim the edges, and prick the base all over with a fork. Chill the lined pan for 10 minutes, then brush the base lightly with the egg white. The shell is evenly lined and the base is sealed with a thin sheen of egg white.
4. Make the filling: in a saucepan, combine the cranberries, remaining 100 g sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, remaining 2 g salt, and almond extract. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens to a spoonable jam consistency, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the toasted almonds. Most cranberries have burst and the filling mounds briefly on a spoon before slowly sliding off.
5. Spread the hot filling in the tart shell and smooth the top. Bake on a sheet pan for 20 to 24 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling at the center. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing; dust with powdered sugar if using. The tart is set enough to slice cleanly once cooled, and the filling no longer looks loose in the center.