Cranberry Lime Curd Tart
With all the fires raging in California, many of us are crossing our fingers that we are not next. While the air quality hits hazardous levels, talking about cooking feels a bit silly. But cooking gives us an excuse to be indoors, safe at home, with the people we love. Bringing our friends together to share a happier experience and lasting memory, if only just for an evening can be an extra added benefit. Especially since we are all a bit frayed, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, we need something to help us forget this crazy world for a moment and just BE in the moment. A bite of this tart will send you there...
Photo by: Claudia Alexander
Of course, I am looking forward to turkey—most especially the late-night turkey sandwich with cranberry relish and stuffing. This dessert is so spectacular that I suspect that you might end up just having enough room for a piece of it after the sandwich—who knows it may become a new tradition.
Photo by: Claudia Alexander
Note: A couple of things to consider when making this tart:
• The five-spice powder is a bit unusual but it gives the cranberries a really different twist. It is subtle but really nice.
• Be careful when you melt the white chocolate. It quickly turns into glue if it gets too hot. Melt it slowly and over low heat and watch it carefully. The chocolate layer seals the crust so that it doesn’t get soggy. A great addition to the tart.
Photo by: Claudia Alexander
Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients. It looks complicated but it is not if you do it in steps. You can make the lime curd and the cranberry topping a day or two ahead of time, assemble the tart the night before and put the tart in the fridge. Believe me, it is worth it.
Lime Curd
¾ cup sugar
6 eggs
½ cup fresh lime juice (approximately 6 limes depending on size and ripeness)
2 teaspoons of lime zest
½ cup unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
Making Curd:
Zest two limes and then juice them along with approximately four more. Set aside.
Put eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk at high speed until light and fluffy. Next, add zest and lime juice. Set the heatproof bowl over a saucepan with about two inches of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the mixing bowl. While whisking continuously, cook the mixture over the simmering saucepan until it thickens. This can take six minutes or so but the results are well worth it. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter in tablespoon increments; stirring to melt. Pour the sauce into another bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. At this point you can use it as soon as it is cool or keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
Cranberry Topping
¼ cup water
1½ teaspoons of cornstarch
⅔ cup of sugar
1½ teaspoons of Chinese five-spice powder
1 bag of fresh cranberries
Making Cranberry Topping:
In a medium saucepan add cornstarch and whisk in the water. Once dissolved, add the sugar and five-spice powder; cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a slow boil. Add the cranberries and stir until berries start to pop. Lower heat to a simmer and cook another 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. This can be made ahead of time, covered, and refrigerated.
Crust
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup almond meal
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup of butter(1/2 stick)
Making the Crust:
Add the flour, almond meal, sugar, and salt to processor. Pulse a few times to blend. Add the vanilla and butter and pulse again until the dough starts to come together in a ball. Mold into a disk and refrigerate for an hour. Using an 11” tart pan with a removable bottom, press the dough evenly along the bottom, up the sides, and then just a pinch over the sides. Put it back in the fridge for another 30 minutes. While it is chilling preheat the oven.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Bake about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool.
White Chocolate Spread
5 oz white chocolate broken into pieces (I used Lindt)
6 tablespoons of sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
Making White Chocolate Spread:
When all the other components are cool make this spread. Place white chocolate pieces in a double boiler over simmering water(make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the pan (see NOTE). When melted, remove pan from heat and whisk in the vanilla and the sour cream. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the tart:
Once cool, spread the chocolate over the entire crust. Freeze for 15 minutes. Next, spread the lime curd over the chocolate, smoothing the top so that it is even; then spoon the cranberry topping over the top of the tart. Cover and chill overnight.
Photo by: Claudia Alexander