And the new addition to my festive dessert repertoire this year is this Cranberry and Walnut Tart. How about that for a vision of Christmassy-ness?
This tart uses fresh cranberries but they freeze beautifully, so grab a bag the next time you spot them and stash them in the freezer. Oh and throw in an extra bag while you're at it, ready for making Cranberry Sauce for the big day.
This is a light, moist tart that is not overly sweet (that'll be those sharp cranberries) and it makes me feel festive just looking at it.
This Cranberry and Walnut Tart is an easy recipe but here are my top tips so that you can be certain it won't let you down -
- Go for non-stick - You'll most definitely need a non-stick tin (with a removable base) for this one, especially if you go for a fluted edge. I generously buttered the tin (and floured it too - tipping out the excess that didn't stick) because I was concerned that the cooked cranberries would make the tart stick like glue. My extra cautious approach worked fine. Hooray.
- Be patient - Let the tart cool in the tin so that it can shrink away from the sides. Makes it easier to get out.
- Best straight from the oven - To be honest, this tart is at its most gorgeous when it is still warm from the oven, but if (like me) you'd prefer to cook it ahead of time, it is still lovely. I served it about 4 hours after cooking and it was beautiful.
- A bit of sauce is good too - Because I wasn't serving it warm, I made a simple, warm, fruity sauce to serve with the tart. Not strictly necessary but lovely all the same.
- Leave the dusting of 'snow' until the last moment - or it will soak into the cake and be gone like a disappointing thaw.
- And repeat after me - Do a dummy dessert run. Your family will appreciate being part of the practice. I guarantee.
Job done ...
Cranberry and Walnut Tart
This is a light, moist tart that is not overly sweet (that'll be those sharp cranberries) and it makes me feel festive just looking at it.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: Western
Ingredients
For the tart -
- 115g (4oz) melted butter + a little extra to grease the tin
- 300g (11oz) caster sugar
- 150g (5oz) SR flour + a little extra to 'flour' the tin
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 60g (2½oz) walnuts, finely chopped
- 200g (7oz) whole, fresh cranberries
- a little icing sugar for dusting
For the sauce -
- 150g (5oz) whole, fresh cranberries
- 50g (2oz) raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 50g (2oz) caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons raspberry jam (or any red jam)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / 350°F (gas mark 4).
- You will need to use a non-stick 25cm (10") tin for this tart. Grease it well (especially into the flutes around the edge) and then flour it (tipping out any excess flour that doesn't stick to the greased tin).
- Combine all the ingredients for the tart in a large bowl and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden.
- Once the tart is baked, take it out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin before carefully removing.
- To make the sauce, add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and cook gently until the cranberries have popped open. Taste to check that the sweetness level is right for you.
- Enjoy the tart warm or at room temperature with the warm sauce and ice cream or crème fraîche.
Notes
You will need to use a non-stick 25cm (10") tin (with a removable base) for this tart. I found that greasing it well (especially into the flutes around the edge) and then flouring it (tipping out any excess flour that doesn't stick to the greased tin) does the trick.
Keywords: Christmas, alternative, entertaining