Nothing says the holidays like cranberries! Every Thanksgiving, I look forward to using them for chutney to serve alongside the turkey, and I always end up with extra cranberries. So, why not use them for dessert?
These tartlets are perfect to display on the buffet table or send home with your guests. I incorporated 3 types of C&H® sugars. C&H® golden brown sugar is in the crumbly crust, C&H® confectioners’ sugar in the tender frangipane filling and dusted on top, and C&H® organic raw cane sugar helps sweeten the ruby red cranberries.
You can prepare the different components of the recipe ahead of time, then assemble and bake the morning of, especially helpful when you’re trying to prepare an entire holiday meal. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
This post is sponsored by C&H® Sugar. All opinions are my own.
Cranberry Frangipane Tarts
Makes 8 – 3″ tarts
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons C&H® golden brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1” cubes
Filling:
2/3 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2/3 cup C&H® confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping:
2 tablespoons C&H® organic raw cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3/4 cup fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries
C&H® confectioners sugar for dusting
Directions:
For the crust:
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolk and vanilla until combined. Set aside.
In a food processor, add the flour, C&H® golden brown sugar and salt. Pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are the size of small peas. Drizzle in the egg mixture. Process until the dough starts to hold together. If it looks sandy and dry, add 1 tablespoon of water and pulse again till it comes together.
Form the dough into a disc and place in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4″ thick. If at any point it gets too soft, transfer the dough to a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the fridge for 5 minutes before resuming.
Using a 3” tart shell as your guide, make 4 circles of dough about 1.5″ wider than the tart rim. Press the dough into 4 tart shells. Trim the excess dough. Dock the bottoms with a fork. Re-roll the scraps of dough and repeat with the remaining tart shells. Place them onto a half sheet pan and freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Bake the tarts for 20 minutes until dry in appearance and just begin to brown on the edges. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile preparing the filling.
For the filling:
In the food processor, add the almond and all purpose flours, C&H® confectioners sugar and salt. Pulse until combined. Add the butter and blend until combined. Scrape down the sides. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and blend until fully incorporated.
The frangipane can be used now or placed in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered with cling wrap placed directly on the surface. It will stiffen. To re-warm it in the microwave, place in a heatproof bowl and zap for 10-second intervals at medium power. Then mix by hand to loosen it until it’s a spreadable consistency.
For assembly:
Increase the oven to 350°F.
In a mortar and pestle, add the C&H® organic raw cane sugar and orange zest. Grind to a fine consistency, while infusing the C&H® organic raw cane sugar with the zest. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a freezer bag and a rolling pin. Pour the infused C&H® organic raw cane sugar into a small bowl. Add the cranberries and toss well to coat. Set aside.
With an offset spatula, spread a layer of frangipane 3/4 full, in each of the cooled tart shells. Scatter the cranberries over the frangipane. I put 7-8 in each tart shell.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the frangipane is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out cleanly. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pans. Serve them slightly warm or at room temperature.
Just before serving, dust the tops with C&H® confectioners sugar . The tarts are best the same day. After that, the crust will soften slightly, but they’ll still be tasty!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see. Share with me on Instagram @pastrywithjenn #pastrywithjenn.
