This recipe is my attempt at a traditional British tea pastry. Lined with a buttery shortbread crust, and filled with almond cream (frangipane) and a touch of brandy, plus a thick delicious cranberry sauce, it received a thumbs up from our daughters.
To begin, gather your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. You'll need a 9" tart pan for this recipe.
Make the Shortbread Crust
In a medium bowl, combine the pastry flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Using a blending fork or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until it turns crumbly. Add the egg yolk and water to the flour mixture and combine until it forms a nice dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12" circle (large enough to fit a 9" tart pan). Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan, gently pressing the dough to form into the ribbed edges of the pan. I allowed about 1/2" of overhang and folded it down to help reinforce the pastry.
Using the tines of a fork, poke holes around the bottom.
Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Blind Bake the Crust
After the crust has chilled, blind bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper and filling it with dried beans or pie weights, if you have them.
To Blind Bake a pie crust, I like to wad up a piece of parchment paper (so that it fits the pan better) and then fill the crust with dried beans. I also set the tart pan on a baking sheet to catch any butter that might drip from the crust.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and beans (or pie weights) and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the edges and bottom become a light golden brown.
Prepare the Cranberry Sauce
While the crust bakes, prepare the cranberry sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, and Fiori di Sicilia.
Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until cranberries begin to burst, stirring frequently. As it cools, mash the sauce with a fork or potato masher. Cool completely.
Make the Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt until soft and fluffy. Add in the almond flour, large egg + the egg white reserved from the pastry crust, brandy, vanilla extract, almond extract, and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix until incorporated.
Assembling the Tart
To assemble the tart, spread the cranberry sauce onto the bottom of the cooled crust.
Spoon the almond mixture over the cranberries and gently spread it to the edges of the crust. Smooth out the surface.
Generously sprinkle sliced almonds over the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool on a rack. When ready to serve, unmold the tart and transfer it to a serving plate.
Serve at room temperature with your favorite tea. This tart will serve 10-12 people.
Notes
*Unless otherwise indicated, all butter used on this recipe site is salted.