If you're looking for a dessert that will knock the thick, fuzzy socks off your guests this holiday season, look no further than this cranberry pear tart. This tart has everything: a crunchy walnut shortbread crust, a filling that's chock-full of seasonal goodness, a streusel topping, and if all that weren't enough, I whipped up a quick cardamom creme anglaise for drizzling. Just to seal the deal. It's no surprise that by the time I got around to photographing this tart there were only two slices left- it's pretty much the bomb diggity of all Christmas desserts.
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But a dessert doesn't earn a title like that just willy nilly- you are hereby fairly warned that this recipe requires a little bit of elbow grease. It's not that the recipe is difficult by any means. But each layer of the tart is given special attention and care: it's not just a crust, it's a walnut shortbread crust. It's not just creme anglaise, it's cardamom creme anglaise. Does this tart really need a streusel topping? No, but it's there...do you see where I'm going with this? It's that little extra bit of effort taken in each step that makes the whole thing come together magically in one heavenly bite. Trust me, it's worth it.
Ingredients
for the crust:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, chilled and diced
for the filling:
3 anjou pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 tbsp. brandy
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. flour
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch salt
for the streusel:
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
for the creme anglaise:
1 cup whole milk
4 whole cardamom pods, crushed
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°. To make the crust, mix the egg yolk, half-and-half and vanilla in a bowl. Add flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse, then add the yolk mixture in a steady stream with the processor running. Pulse for another 10-20 seconds and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Mix in the chopped walnuts by hand to distribute evenly.
2. Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-1/2-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Firmly press the crumbs against the bottom and sides pan to form the crust. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and freeze for 10 minutes. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bottom is set. Transfer to a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
3. To make the filling, coarsely chop the cranberries and add to a bowl along with the pears and brandy, stirring to combine. In a separate bowl mix the sugar, flour, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Add to the cranberry-pear mixture, tossing to combine. Mound the filling into the par-baked crust.
4. To make the streusel, mix the flour, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Combine with fingers until the mixture begins to clump together in small pieces when pressed. Sprinkle the streusel over the filling, breaking it into smaller pieces if necessary.
5. Bake at 350° until the fruit is tender and the crust and streusel begin to turn golden brown, about 50 minutes (if the tart begins to get dark at the edges, cover with foil).
6. While the tart is baking, make the creme anglaise: Set a mesh strainer over a medium bowl and set the bowl in a shallow pan of cold water. In a saucepan, combine the milk and cardamom pods and cook over moderately low heat just until small bubbles appear around the rim, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks just until combined. Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk, then pour the mixture into the same saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately strain the sauce into the bowl in the cold water bath to stop the cooking and remove the cardamom pods.
2. Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-1/2-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Firmly press the crumbs against the bottom and sides pan to form the crust. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork and freeze for 10 minutes. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the bottom is set. Transfer to a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°.
3. To make the filling, coarsely chop the cranberries and add to a bowl along with the pears and brandy, stirring to combine. In a separate bowl mix the sugar, flour, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Add to the cranberry-pear mixture, tossing to combine. Mound the filling into the par-baked crust.
4. To make the streusel, mix the flour, brown sugar and salt in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and vanilla. Combine with fingers until the mixture begins to clump together in small pieces when pressed. Sprinkle the streusel over the filling, breaking it into smaller pieces if necessary.
5. Bake at 350° until the fruit is tender and the crust and streusel begin to turn golden brown, about 50 minutes (if the tart begins to get dark at the edges, cover with foil).
6. While the tart is baking, make the creme anglaise: Set a mesh strainer over a medium bowl and set the bowl in a shallow pan of cold water. In a saucepan, combine the milk and cardamom pods and cook over moderately low heat just until small bubbles appear around the rim, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks just until combined. Gradually whisk in half of the hot milk, then pour the mixture into the same saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately strain the sauce into the bowl in the cold water bath to stop the cooking and remove the cardamom pods.
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