This is a twist on an Italian tart that usually calls for raspberry jam. It can actually be very flexible for any fruit jam all year round, but cranberries make it particularly festive during the winter months. The cranberry jam recipe here makes about double what you need. You can either cut it in half or even better, use the rest for toast or for another recipe!
Makes one 9.5-inch tart
Ingredients
Quick Cranberry Jam
- 12-ounce bag (340 grams) fresh cranberries
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Tart Dough
- 1 ¼ cups (162 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- Dash of salt
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) cold unsalted butter
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons very cold water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Almond Filling
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 7 ounces (198 grams) almond paste
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- 1/3 cup (43 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (31 grams) sliced almonds
Instructions
Make the Cranberry Jam
- Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the cranberries begin to pop. Using the back of a large spoon or a potato masher, crush the mixture together to your desired chunkiness. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes in total. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the Tart Shell
2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
3. Cut the butter into chunks and add to the bowl, pulsing a few times until the butter resembles coarse cornmeal.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, cold water and vanilla together and then add them to the butter and flour mixture. Pulse just until the dough is coated and clumps together when lightly pressed with your hand. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
5. When the dough is cold, roll out into a 12-inch circle and line a 9 to 10-inch tart pan, trimming the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Line the pastry shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes, then lift an edge of the paper. If the dough looks wet, continue to bake, checking every 5 minutes, until the dough is pale gold, for a total baking time of about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
Make the Filling and Finish the Tart
7. In a bowl fitted for an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the almond paste, one piece at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
8. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Stir in the flour on low.
9. Spread about a cup of the jam evenly over the bottom of the tart shell, reserving the rest for another application. Spoon in the almond paste mixture and spread evenly over the jam. Sprinkle the surface with the sliced almonds.
10. Bake the tart until the filling is golden and the middle is firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the tart cool completely. Dust the tart with confectioners’ sugar to serve, if desired. The tart can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
