cranberry, caramel and almond tart
These shrunk too much, these tore and crumbled, these not only shrunk but got tattered, this had to be pasted together in scraps and, you guessed it, this one went on a big diet in the oven as well. The thing is, you might look at the pictures and not know that the recipes were teetering on the edge of disaster, but that’s because you don’t know about all the filling that went to waste because they no longer fit after a par-baking. I’ve tried everything–pricking the doughs and weighting the doughs and freezing the doughs and sacrificing countless boxes of butter and hours of my life to the doughs and closing my eyes in a brief prayer before checking on their baking status but still, they fight me every time.
Typically, I blame the recipe. I mean, wouldn’t you? It’s not like it can fight back (unless you get those commenters who say ‘but I made that recipe and mine came out perfectly!’ and I’m all ’shhh! I don’t want to know that!’). But eventually you get to the point where you know that if you post another entry about the shoddy tart dough that someone is going to have your number. It might as well be me.
After my last cry for pate brisee help after my biggest disaster to date, I decided it time to, once and for all, stop fighting the tart dough timeline. Take it slow, stop lopping corners off the chilling and re-chilling time, following a recipe from a respected tart-maker to the exact letter.
I hope you are not here for happy endings, because I’ve got two cups of carefully-prepared filling in the fridge waiting for a tart shell that doesn’t shrink. Oh, and it turns out it’s not just me that faced a horribly shrunken crust on this recipe. (Why, why why does he not call for the shell to be weighted when par-baked?)
Fine, I lied when I said there would be no happy ending. These tartlets are one of the best things I have ever made. Seriously, it goes in the top ten, no, top five. This caramel, cranberry and almond tart from Maury Rubin at the City Bakery, a place I love more than anybody should (but I’ll get to why on a day that I am not boring you with incredibly shrinking crusts) is pure holiday decadence. If you’re bored of standard Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts, or you just want to show off a new instant classic, you have to make it this winter.
The caramel is to die for and plays off the tart/sour cranberries and nestles against the almonds and I guarantee your first thought after you are done sighing with delight will be (no, not “this would benefit from some chocolate chips” as you just know my husband said) “why haven’t I thought of this before?”
But you’re on your own with the crust. Or, you will be until some of those helpful commenters start chiming in with tart advice. No pressure, people, but future of flawless Thanksgiving desserts rests in your hands. And… GO!
Cranberry, Caramel and Almond Tart
Adapted Maury Rubin, City Bakery
Yields: 1 9-inch tart or 12 4-inch tartlets
13 tablespoons (1 stick plus 5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1. Let the butter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until malleable.
2. Place the powdered sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the pieces of butter and toss to coat. Using a paddle attachment with a standing mixer, combine the sugar and butter at medium speed, until the sugar is no longer visible.
3. Add the egg yolk and combine until no longer visible.
4. Scrape down the butter off the sides of the bowl. Add half of the flour, then begin mixing again until the dough is crumbly. Add the remaining flour and then the cream and mix until the dough forms a sticky mass.
5. Flatten the dough into a thick pancake, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours before preparing to roll out the dough.
6. Lightly butter a 9-inch pastry ring (or fluted tart pan) and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick Silpat pad.
7. Once the dough has thoroughly chilled, cut it in half, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat, until you have 16 equal pieces. Work quickly with the dough so that it remains chilled. Sprinkle your work surface with a thin layer of flour. Knead the pieces of dough together until it forms one new mass and shape it into a flattened ball. Flour a rolling pin and sprinkle flour again on the work surface underneath the dough. Roll out the dough into a circle one-eighth-inch thick.
8. To easily transfer the dough into the ring or tart pan, fold it in half gently, then in quarters. Move the folded dough to the tart ring or pan, with the point of the dough in the center, then unfold it, gently patting the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the ring. Trim the edges so that they are flush with the top of the ring. Dock the dough with a pastry docker or prick the dough all over with a fork.
9. Put the baking sheet and pastry ring into the freezer for 1 hour.
10. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking sheet and ring in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before filling.
Filling and assembly
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into eight pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup frozen cranberries
2 cups unblanched sliced almonds
1. Measure the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat it over low heat. When the butter has melted completely, remove from heat.
2. To make the caramel, spread the sugar evenly in a perfectly dry, deep 10-inch skillet and place it over medium-low heat.
3. The sugar should turn straw-colored, then gold and then a nutty-brown caramel after about 10 minutes. If the sugar cooks unevenly, gently tilt or swirl the pan to evenly distribute the sugar. Remove from heat and slowly whisk the cream and butter into the sugar, which can splatter as the cream is added (long sleeves are a good precaution). If the caramel seizes, return it to the heat and continue to stir until it is smooth and creamy. Strain the caramel into a bowl and cool it for 30 minutes.
4. Stir the frozen cranberries and the almonds into the caramel and mix until all the fruit and nuts are coated. Spoon the filling into the partially baked tart dough mounding toward the center.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the juices and the caramel are bubbling slowly around the edges. Remove from the oven and let stand for 1 hour, then gently lift the tart ring off the pastry.
6. Carefully transfer the tart to a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Oh dear! I’ve been trying out all kinds of tarts recently, and I have to say that the jamie oliver one seems to work out very well indeed. Maybe I’ll post on it soon!
I had the same experience with this dough last Christmas and wasn’t able to take the tart to the party. Howeve, the tart was was delicous, so was the tricky dough.
I’m so glad you reminded me of it, because I’ll try it again using Dorie Greenspan’s Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15324538#15324836). I’ve had a lot of success using her recipe and can recommend it whole-heartedly.
Wow– I SO want to make this for Thanksgiving. More like, I will use Thanksgiving as an excuse to make this. Anything in the top FIVE things you have ever made has got to be amazing… although I am afraid of the crust, and still traumatized from a recent caramel near-disaster (Caramel Lady Apples were almost the death of me: http://blackcoffeeandadonut.blogspot.com/2007/10/why-yes-halloween-is-our-favorite.html), it still sounds worth it!!!
I think these are some of the most gorgeous photos I’ve ever seen here! I’m duly impressed overall. I’ve never thought of putting cranberry and caramel together. I’m so ready for Thanksgiving now!
And I can’t do doughs, period. My hands are too hot; or that’s what my mom says. Hers are hot, too, and she’s never been much of a bread-baker as a result! Hot mamas are we.
Oh My Drool! :D :D
Now I know what I’m making for my holiday baking swap I’m going to in a few weeks. These will knock everyone’s socks off! Thanks so much for the inspiration Deb! :)
Do you think pecans would work instead of almonds? I’m not a *huge* almond fan. Also is there a reason for frozen vs. fresh cranberries? This looks awesome – definitely want to try for Thanksgiving.
Amazingly delicious photos!
Those look amazing. Honestly, right now, I’m a slave to deserts. Especially fruit ones that have a bit of tart, sourness to the recipe.
PS..Thanks for the left column shout out. You don’t know how honored I am that you think me worthy.
I’ve got no advice; I’m just here for sheer commiseration. But, damn, those look good.
If both you and Luisa give these tarts such accolades, they must be amazing. This recipe will get printed out, not just bookmarked…
This looks amazing — I’m also wondering —
1) could I use fresh instead of frozen cranberries
2) the cranberries are used whole? They don’t need to be chopped or anything before hand?
This is definitely making it to my thanksgiving table! Many thanks for the recipe!
Emily
Wow. I looooove cranberries, and caramel and almonds. But I am so afraid of pâte brisée… Gorgeous pics by the way, I so want one of those tarts right now, problem is, the only caramels around here are the kids’ Halloween candies ;)
Christine — I’ll have to try her recipe. The good thing is, I like to make tart-based foods so much, I always have a reason to try a new dough. But what I’d really like are some new results…
Xani — Those came out so well! The first time I made caramel, it freaked me out, but it gets easier, I swear. The truth is, you have to do nothing but watch the color and sometimes the temp. Oh, and not touch it!
Abby — Summer is always a disaster for me because of the humidity; crusts just fall apart. But I made this on a cool day… ah well. I should lower my expectations, that’s what I should do.
Courtney — Yes, I do think pecans would work. My hunch is that the cranberries are frozen to slow their cooking process–so you don’t end up wtih cranberry puddles but lightly broken ones that are recognizable. I started with a bag of fresh and popped them in the freezer while I made the dough, etc.
Jenifer — I had no idea I had missed you until your little comment, lady. Seriously, I use an RSS reader! What are links?
Emily — Yes, but I would freeze them first to slow the cooking process. They are used whole. It’s that simple! Hard to mess up, but I did my best.
LyB — Kids candy has nuthin’ on this.
I have the answer for you – this I know because I too used to have crusts that puffed up and ruined everything.
Three things fixed this problem – now my pate sucre’s work every – yes EVERY time.
First, don’t overwork the dough – if you are food processing, as SOON as you get a sandy consistency, add water and turn it off – bring it together on the counter, b/c if you keep pulsing it, it never comes together well. If by hand, same deal but you have to work it a little more to get to the sand level…
Second, roll it a little thicker – you still need to weight it down in the overm but I promise it sticks better.
Lastly, DONT overcook it – just tan on the edges is enough – tastes better in the end too! Ok to cook it a little longer with filling in it, but not empty – it should only be half-cooked at high temp.
Good Luck!
One thing I forgot – the second thing – has to be thicker in the middle, not so important on the sides.
I feel very foolish asking this, but for those of us who are tart novices… if you were going to weigh it down to get it to not shrink, how would you do that exactly?
I LOVE your website. Some day I will have the time and energy to actually try one of your amazing-looking recipes. This will be the first, I think.
These look gorgeous and I’ll definitely have to try the recipe out. PS, did you know your website was mentioned in an article in today’s LA Times Food Section? Congrats!
Maybe you can blame your oven instead? It seems like a good alternate target that also can’t protest your accusations.
Today’s images are startlingly gorgeous.
I just tried your recipe for pumpkin bread pudding! It was AWESOME!!! :) This one looks very delicious as well and I’m looking forward to trying it.
Hello! I just now came across your blog after going through my usual read through of food blogs, and I like this one quite a like. :] I’m probably late with commenting, but here goes.
I seem to have the exact opposite problem. I pretty much fail at every else the first couple of times, but when I make pies or tarts they come out excellent. I use the same dough with each and every tart/pie that I bake. The first time I tried it though, the tart dough came out horrid. I wasted about a gazillion pounds of butter, had to go out to Sam’s Club and buy in bulk, then wasted half of that, until I finally got it right! Just keep to what you were saying at first; it’s the recipe, not you. :D
Pâte Brisée recipe that I use (argh, unless you’ve already got this, which I am sure you do, because it’s very basic and easy and I’m rambling):
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks of butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 (less or more, depending on how the dough comes together, it’s process) cups ice cold water
Good luck. :]
What perfect looking tarts! I Just ran across your blog today and really like it. Have added you to my RSS reader.
caramel in tart? Give me your address!!! ;)
Try this:
1 cup flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 TBS. sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1-2 TBS. white vinegar
Mix flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter until particles resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with vinegar and work with fingers until dough starts to hold together. Press mixture into pan, either 9-inch cake pan, baking dish or loose bottom tart pan. Fill and bake.
For a fast fruit tart, fill with 4 -5 cups of fruit tossed with 2 TBS. flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 2/3 cup sugar and bake at 400 for 50-60 minutes. Blueberry seems to be the favorite, followed by stone fruits and apple.
I found this recipe in a Woman’s Day Magazine in the 1970s and it has NEVER failed me. Be prepared to share the recipe.,
oh you’re freezing cranberries now!! yay! i can’t wait to buy more this year and freeze my batch – can you believe I moved apartments with them this year? :-) the tart looks awesome, could i have one for breakfast this morning? Working from 7am (i.e. being in the office at 7am seems cruel w/o a tart)… As for tart doughs – eversince my pie disaster this summer, i’ve been afraid to go near homemade tart/pie dough. I’ll have to try my hand at it again though.
Christina – small stones? I was wondering that myself – anyone?
I’ll join you in your misery for shrinking tart crusts. I’ve been on a tart spree the past week or so and just can’t seem to get any kind of crust…pastry or crumb…to stick to its intended size. But I’ll fight the good fight one more time (sigh, it – meaning making and eating another delicious tartlet- is a burden I’ll just have to bear) and make these to see how they compliment my maple chestnut tartlets I’m having at Thanksgiving. Lovely photos as always!
Those are gorgeous – I’m going to try them for Thanksgiving, I think. I have two bags of cranberries languishing in my freezer from last time they were on sale, just waiting for the Perfect Recipe (which this may be). Though, maybe, I’ll just skip the tart crust and go with pie dough?
sassy — Thanks for the advice!
Christina — There are no foolish questions. The process I was referring to is called “blind baking,” fairly common when making tarts. Once the dough has been rolled out and arranged in the tart pan and chilled again is it often pricked all over with a fork, lined with parchment paper and filled with pie weights (ceramic or metal tiny balls), dried rice (though some feel this is too heavy) or beans and par-baked in the oven for about 20 minutes, until it is lightly golden at the edges. If you are going to bake a filling, such as with a quiche or this crust, you then let it cool and fill it, then finish baking it. If you are going to use it for an uncooked filling, like a pastry cream and berries, you will finish baking it for another 15 minutes without the lining and weights.
It surprised me that this recipe didn’t call for it, but since it was less work to do it as he described, I didn’t argue. The process is supposed to help fight the shrinkage that occurs in tart shells and prevent, in the words of Julia Child, “a soggy bottom. Nobody likes a soggy bottom.”
Michelle — I did see that, thank you. Compliment or criticism, I wasn’t sure, but I suppose any press is good press, right?
Katie — You know, I already blamed my oven for one disaster this year, and I don’t want it to get bitter with me and rebel. Then I’ll really up the creek.
Gabriela — Thanks for the recipe. It looks almost exactly like the Martha Stewart one I have always fallen back on for pies. However, I always thought for dessert crusts that something with an egg or yolk in it is better… more cookie-like. Obviously, I am no expert (see above whining) though.
Janet — I love the idea of adding vinegar. In other doughs I have like there is always a tenderizer such as that. I should try swapping the water with vinegar next time…
radish — I thought of you when I popped them in the freezer. If they had been in better condition (I had to throw away SO many) I would have bought an extra couple bags. Hopefully they’ll be looking better as the month goes on. I think you faced the curse of tart doughs in the summer in your disaster, btw. Butter-based crusts HATE humidity, warmth of any kind, no matter how high the a/c is on.
superblondgirl — You could certainly try. Despite the difficulties this one gave me (in shrinkage, not crust overall difficulty to roll out, etc.) it was stunningly delicious, all browned-butter like because it was slightly overcooked and cookie tasting, a delicious contrast to the caramel. Siiigh, want more NOW.
For those wondering about pie weights – you can buy them in kitchen supply stores, ones that look like mardi gras beads or small white ceramic balls. You can, however, also use a big bag of dried beans. Either way, they’re reusable – just cool them off after baking and put them in a clean, dry bag for storage. To use, you roll out the dough, put it in the pie tin, then line the dough with aluminum foil that covers the edges of the pie, too, and pour the weights into the aluminum shell, making sure the weights are distributed well all around the dish.
They look both beautiful and delicious. A triumph!
Oops, silly me – didn’t see your response, Deb!
Actually, I wanted to add but wasn’t sure where to squeeze it in the conversation that I don’t know if the ceramic pie weights I have are all that. They’re fairly big and don’t nestle well into the corners and up the sides, and I can’t shake the feeling that the walls fall a little into the triangles between them. Had I not stupidly paid good money for TWO sets (because one never, ever fills a 9-inch pan to the rim) I would have switched to dried beans a long time ago. Learn from me, people!
mmmm well, in terms of recipes, this is my go-to family recipe and my personal favorite http://pipinthecity.wordpress.com/2007/06/04/homemade-to-the-core/ (sorry for the autoreference there, but it couldn´t be avoided). In that particular tart, the filling is spread before baking, so that always helps, but what I do when I need to prebake the crust is to chill the dough very well in the pan, spray it with cooking spray, put some aluminium foil quite tightly over it and another similar pan in the middle just a little smaller than the other pan so it holds it all together. I don´t usually use any other weight or dried beans or anything, but you could just to make sure and considering you have two sets of pie weights!
I´m just realizing my explanation is a bit complicated if you aren´t seeing the process, but I hope you understand it and it does help.
gorgeous…I hope I can figure out the dough…I’ve suffered shrinking dough thousands of times.
I just noticed something else about the dough. I have often blamed water content for shrinking doughs–those quarter-cups and tablespoons we add disappear once baked, so the crusts have little choice but to slim down. But this one had none–the only liquids were barely that, one egg yolk and one tablespoon of cream, and both are very rich and not things that bake off 100% in the oven.
So, more or less, I am perplexed as ever.
If you are okay w/ a cookie type crust then “The Pastry Queen” by Rebecca Rather has a great one that does not shrink. She also has many other fabulous desserts that turn out perfect each and every time I make them. I have a bad habit of cutting corners in recipes too and hers hold up to it beautifully. Enjoy!
You have to be kidding!
If these are failures, what do your successes look like … Damn Atkins! I think I have to cheat on T-Day.
you? not skilled at tart doughs? this tart is the EPITOME of perfection!! so I’m very glad to read that you consider this cranberry, caramel & almond tart to be one of the best things you’ve ever made – I wholeheartedly agree!! :0)
I have had great success with Dorie Greenspan’s Sweet Tart Dough from her Baking at Home cookbook. Instead of rolling it out, she just presses it into the tart shell. I have used it for both full size tarts and mini tarts, and each time it is perfect. It’s the only tart recipe I have ever tried, I was lucky and got a good one on the first try! I liked the idea of not rolling it out. To me, the rolling process can lead to stretching the dough when it gets placed into the pan, which would then result in shrinkage when it was cooked.
Dorie has it frozen after it’s in the shell, and then covered with foil brushed with butter as it bakes. She says that since it is frozen, it does not need to have weights, and she is right, as always….
Regardless, these are beautiful and I think I will be making them next week as a trial run before the “Big Event” in a few weeks.
Hi Deb…longtime lurker here.
If it makes you feel any better…I went to culinary school for breads and specialty desserts. Pate brisee still gives me fits. Also, we *never* used it for tarts with sweet fillings. I *always* used pate sucre. It’s more forgiving and melting when you eat it. I’d suggest giving that a shot next time you’re feeling tarty. :)
If I don’t get one of those Effin Tarts I am going to be pretty damn bitter. GRRRRRR. I know where you live missy.
Anyway, I am going to go out on a limb here and solve your shrinking dough problem. I am going to guess that it’s your shoddy NY apt. Landlord provided oven. Get one of those big fancy ovens they have at the pastry shop and Bingo! you’ve got perfect tart doughs.
They look beautiful (like you said, you can’t tell from the pictures!) I’m definitely a buy-frozen tart dough kind of girl, but hopefully you can find a great, easy recipe someday and maybe I’ll try it! :-)
Wow! Those are beautiful! Thanks for sharing. My crusts usually never shrink, but it’s been known to happen. Anyway, with tarts like that I don’t think you should worry about it. Bake some bread and feel better!
I always thought tart doughs were supposed to shrink a little. Not like you put the wrong shirt in the dryer shrinkage, but, you know, a little bit away from the edges. That said, when I par-bake I usually just get it so the tart bottom is set, not at all golden. Because you’re going to be baking it again with the filling (which will hold the crust down and prevent further shrinkage), you don’t want to over do it. Oh, and I always bake from frozen and rarely use weights.
Maybe you should write to Harold McGee (or Chris Kimble) and ask him to do a column on it?
there is an excellent article in the current cooks illustrated about pie crusts. the author suggest adding vodka! shocking.
i’m veganizing this and making it asap.
xo
kittee
I also have a terrible time with crusts – and went to the Cook’s Illustrated web site for help. They have a great video explaining why crusts fail, and why consistent results are so hard to acheive. Definitely worth watching. I haven’t tried the vodka method yet, but am anxious to try.
You know something is good when the picture makes your eyes open wider than they naturally would.
Fantastic tarts, Deb.
Hey y’all,
I made this last night using the Tart Dough recipe from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook and it was amazing!
http://tinyurl.com/2djatw
The dough is super easy to work with and is a really natural replacement in this recipe. (It is still buttery and cookie like) Thanks for this Deb! It is an instant classic… And try this dough! You’ll like it.
I’m so drooling over this recipe, and it’s making me have deja vu about something I’ve eaten that had these exact flavors, cranberries, almonds, and caramel, and whatever it was was fantastic. I wish I could remember what it was! I’ll definitely put these in my holiday arsenal this year.
I just remembered!! It was the Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar!!
I have no idea if Starbucks still has these, but they were a great flavor combination. I’m sure the homemade version is a thousand times better.
Oops! I’m totally dominating the comments here, but I just realized that the Starbucks pastry I mentioned above is NOT similar to this at all. But I think maybe Starbucks used to carry a similar cranberry caramel pastry, in a bar form, but it’s been years and years since they had it.
is there any possibility that the fact that the tart pans you show (and i assume use) are non-stick is what’s causing the issues with the tart crust? i don’t know, but it sounds like you’ve addressed every other possible culprit…thought it was worth a shot.
I just had to respond because I just made this and it came out perfectly. No fallen sides, enough filling to *just* fit into my 9inch tart pan (I couldn’t believe it!), and beautiful!
I always use Martha Stewart’s pate brise recipe for all my tarts. Once I roll it out and drape it over the pan, I press the dough into the bottom rim with my thumb all around, then use the rolling pin to lop off the excess, of which I try to have as little as possible. If I do have excess, I use it to thicken the edges a bit, then kind of push the edges up all around so the dough is a bit above the edge of the pan. Then I line it with tinfoil (careful of the taller edges), pressing the foil into the bottom ridge so there’s no danger of it slinking down. Then I fill the shell with dal that I keep for this purpose, nudging the dal into the all-important corners. Yes, the little bitty beans do work *way* better, as they fit right into where they need to be to do their duty. (You must ditch those overpriced weights!) Then I bake it 20-25 minutes till it’s turning golden, removing the foil and weights for the last few minutes if the dough is set and I want it to color more. That’s it! Works every time, with few instances of fallen sides. Oh poor fallen sides!
Okay – late in the game…another question. I could not find any cranberries, fresh or frozen, in my local supermarket. Any thoughts on another fruit that would be good and work in this recipe? Maybe cherries??? I’m sure cranberries will be appearing soon, but I had no luck this weekend! I couldn’t believe it!
Ok, so this is total sacrilege but can I use a *gasp* store-bought crush and use the filling? Would that work? Making crusts (tart or otherwise) totally freaks me out and after too many failures I just don’t try anymore.
I made these this past weekend (trial run before Thanksgiving!) and they turned out amazingly, even though I cut the time a bit in several corners.
I used the Martha Stewart Tart Dough that tim recommended above, but as I was using porcelain tartlet dishes, I didn’t bother popping the tarts out. I did check on getting one out a little, and the bottom was definitely a little soft, probably thanks to me not pre-baking the crusts long enough?
Doesn’t matter, they were still amazing tasting! Deb, you were right that this is the most delicious caramel possible. It seized up on me, but with a little patience, it melted mostly back down into orgasmic delight.
Do you think there’d be any problem using dulce de leche rather than caramel? I have a jar left from Argentina that I think would go to best use in a tart like this…unless you think of some reason why it shouldn’t.
I made this tart for Thanksgiving and WOW…it was absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Not only was it delicious, but visually beautiful as well. I used the tart dough recipe from the Tartine cookbook, which worked perfectly.
Thanks for such a fantastic recipe!
Just made this and the Maple Cream pie for a party. And guess which one people raved about? This TART rocked everyone’s world…seriously delish. My only change is I would add just a touch of salt to the caramel, but other than that….WOW. A definite keeper. Recipe worked great with a shrunken pie pastry!BTW, I needed only half the filling for one tart shell.
Oh my Lord. That looks like the most perfect combination of ingredients. I have a new batch of cranberries that I picked up today that are begging me to use them in this recipe. Thank you!
I’m not 100% sure if this qualifies as tart dough per se, but as someone totally cursed when it came to pastry, Delia’s recipe below has been my savior. It is the only pastry I can manage (but I can make it fast and easily). It does not shrink and so long as you prick the bottom, you don’t need to par-bake before making quiche.
http://www.deliaonline.com/cookery-school/how-to/how-to-make-quick-flaky-pastry,20,AR.html
I have also read that it’s important to not ’stretch’ the patry but instead roll it — beause stretching results in shrinkage later. Personally, I’m convinced lard makes for shrinkage and/or problems with making pastry as all the recipes I’ve tried with lard generally fail.
This crust is very buttery and flaky and QUICK. I also don’t like very sweet pastry so it works for the tarts I make.
I just watched the French Apple Tart episode of America’s Test Kitchen. I think the problem with your tart dough may be the pans and not you :-) The Equipment Corner segment included a review of must have bakeware. When Adam talked about the tart pan, he recommended the one without a nonstick finish because a non-stick finish makes the dough sink into the pan. With all of the butter in the dough, the nonstick finish doesn’t provide texture to hold the dough up.
Hope this helps!!
deb-
please help me out. I MUST make this recipe, MUST. Only trouble is, the crowd I will be pleasing will be much larger. I would like to make it in a 9×13x1 pan. I of course would only run the crust up the sides a bit, but, I’m wondering….would you multiply the ingredients by 2 or just 1 1/2. Also, how much longer would you reccomend for baking. Please get back to me soon….
THANKS!
9×13 is 117 square inches in base area; a 9-inch circle would be about 63-64. So, you’d want to double the recipe, and the crust, to keep the thickness about the same while making more.
If you have a 9×13 springform or removable-bottom pan it will be easier to remove.
Thanks deb so MUCH. I will line my pan with parchment to pull it out. YOu are the BEST!
I’m in a time crunch…..I am parbaking now. Can I leave the parbaked crust at room temp for a few hours before I do the filling? Anyone? Beuller?
Thanks
I’ve done it many times. Should be fine.
how long do we think this tart will keep at room temperature? ( i want to make it in advance and transport it home for thanksgiving :)
I made this last night for a small dinner party-thanks, Deb. The caramel seized on me and seemed to take forever to melt back down. Did I wait too long to add the cream and butter mixture after it was melted? I didn’t strain the caramel sauce through a mesh strainer (there were some hard parts in the final dish–hard as little rocks), as I thought it wouldn’t go through. I definitely recommend straining, but what’s the best way to strain without losing half the recipe? By the way, I used the Cook’s Illustrated sweet tart pastry http://cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=5089 and it turned out great. I used lentils instead of my metal pie weights, so thanks for that suggestion! Everyone thought it was a hit, except for the caramel stones.
I was wondering if you found any solutions to that shrinking crust issue. I’d like to make this for Thanksgiving at my boyfriend’s parent’s house but I would hate for it be a tart disaster. Any advice?
oops, also can you make this at all ahead of time or is it best served right away?
Thanks!
i’m gonna make this with your awesome non-shrinking tart shell you posted this week. =)
my question is the same as lynna’s – can i make this ahead? i have too many things to bake at the same time!
Here are the things that can be made ahead: The dough, which can be kept in the fridge well-wrapped for up to three days or in the freezer (again, wrapped well, like three layers of plastic wrap in different directions) for weeks. You can roll out the tart shell and freeze that (slipped into a freezer bag) for a couple days. You can bake the tart shell, empty, a day early and leave it at room temperature (think of it like a cookie, which is essentially is). Finally, I’d say that the completed tart keeps for a couple days in the fridge, probably longer, but you will slowly lose some crisp- and freshness in the shell. I vote for working on the tart shell earlier, and throwing the entire tart together either the night before or morning of. Good luck!
My word. I made this tonight with the Great Unshrinkable Sweet Tart Shell and it’s wonderful. It looks like it was made by a professional. Perfectly rustic. 100% delicious. This was a test run to decide what dessert to bring to the family Thanksgiving party and, ding ding ding, we have a winner!
I made this last night with the unshrinkable tart shell as well, also a test run for a Thanksgiving party. It is the first tart I have ever made. I didn’t have a tart pan so I used a springform pan with the bottom pushed about 3/4 of the way and supported by an upside down pie pan underneath while baking. It was wonderful. What a fantastic recipe (both the crust and filling). Thanks for sharing. I will be making this next week. It was a hit with my husband but not the kids. Fine with me, just means more for us!
I made these tarts today and they turned out great! I am bringing them to my boyfriend’s parents for Thanksgiving and was wondering how I should store them? Fridge or not?
Thanks for introducing me to another great recipe! I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone was impressed. I definitely had some trouble with the shell even though I used the “great unshrinkable”- check out my blog if you’re interested. The whole thing ended up looking very professional.
http://amourpetitgateau.blogspot.com/2008/11/cranberry-caramel-and-almond-tart.html
Long time reader, and been stalking this recipe in particular for a while. Finally made it last night with Dorie Greenspan’s unshrinkable sweet tart dough. Looked perfect, but then the whole pan slid off the cooling rack, and hit the (white) carpet face down, in about 25 pieces and a pool of caramel. The tiny piece that was salvageable was absolutely delicious. I’m making this again, tonight, but without the cooling rack. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
I just saw this recipe a couple of days ago, and made an oath to myself that i would make it for Christmas today…. I did, and i havent tasted it yet, but i think i burnt the sugar!!! it a pretty deep brown, and the taste is a little off. Hopefully in the full tart form it will taste better.
What I learned:
Make the crust, the frozen thingy isn’t the same
Don’t sub blueberries for cranberries
Let the caramel thicken and cook completely
Cook the tart for the entire time period (including browning the crust prior)
Let the caramel cool
This was the first failure I’ve had in the kitchen in a while.. if you follow my handy improvisations, you will have an inedible pie. I’ll try this one again when cranberries are back in season ;)
I wonder if phyllo dough would make an adequate substitute, and if it could be redone as a slab pie? I don’t have tart pans (bad me! naughty me! Go to the corner!) so I’d need something similar. Hmm…muffin tins?
Ack! Cranberries and almonds, my favorite fall yummies! I *must* make this tart!!
i’ve got this in the oven right now. it smells delicious. my tart dough certainly shrank, but it seems to be holding the filling well despite that. my carmel seized up on me too. i think i added to much cream in the first addition, and then was using a spatula instead of a whisk to stir it together! I tend to get a little frazzled in the kitchen! Anyway, after i put it back on the heat and got to stirring it managed to mix fairly well. My only question is, do we bake at 350 for the second time around? I didn’t see an alternate temp. My tart has been in for 30 minutes but is nowehere near bubbly and the cranberries are still perfectly in tact. Im baking for a longer time, but was wondering if I am supposed to have the temp up? Thanks for the great recipe, as always. Everyone is always impressed when I use one your recipes!