Food & Drink

Dorie Greenspan’s Mini Cranberry Tarts

These petit treats from legendary cookbook author Dorie Greenspan feature flaky pastry shells filled with a nut- and dried fruit–studded cranberry sauce. A splash of Grand Marnier cuts the sweetness while adding a hint of orange flavor. Canned cranberry sauce or leftover homemade cranberry sauce makes these bite-size desserts a breeze. A pouf of slightly sweetened whipped cream brings this dessert over the top with that right amount of creamy goodness to round everything out. No need to worry if you only have one muffin pan — you can always bake these tarts in batches. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is pâte brisée?

    Pâte brisée is a French shortcrust pastry used for pies and tarts. Unlike American pie crusts, which can use butter, oil, or shortening, traditional pâte brisée always uses butter and a technique called fraisage. This technique involves incorporating butter into flour by rubbing the butter and flour together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

  • What’s the difference between whole-berry and jellied cranberry sauce?

    There are two main types of canned cranberry sauce: whole-berry and jellied. Whole-berry cranberry sauce contains visible pieces of fruit, as the cranberries are not fully broken down. Jellied cranberry sauces have a smooth and uniform texture, as the cranberries are completely broken down.

  • Can you freeze cranberry sauce?

    Homemade cranberry sauce can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to three months. However, freezing canned cranberry sauce is not recommended, as the gelatin can affect the thawing process and make the sauce runny. If you have any leftover canned cranberry sauce, it’s best to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

It’s important to weigh down your tart shells before blind baking to keep the sides in place and prevent them from slumping. 

When the tarts return to the oven to finish baking, portions of the pâte brisée may puff or bubble up slightly. You can simply press them back down with the back of a spoon and continue baking.

Dried pineapple or dried pears are available at most grocery stores or online at nuts.com.

Make ahead

Cranberry filling can be prepared through Step 1 up to five days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Pâte brisée dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to one month; thaw in the refrigerator overnight when ready to use.


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